AN EXCELLENT Oration of that late fa­mously learned Iohn Rai­nolds, D. D. and Lecturer of the Greek tongue in Oxford.

Very usefull for all such as affect the studies of Logick and Phi­losophie, and admire pro­fane Learning.

Translated out of Latine in­to English by I. L. Schoolmaster.

Thy wisdoms and thy knowledge have caused thee to rebell.
Isa. 47. 10.

LONDON, Printed by Tho. Harper for Thomas Slater and William Aderton, and are to be sold at their shops in Duck-lane, 1638.

To the well affe­cted Christian Reader.

ANatomists do write, that in the brain of man, there is a Rete mirabile, an admirable Net, that is, an heape and conjugation of Arteries, that for the [Page] many windings, tur­nings, and intricate foldings cannot be a­natomized; and so in­deed, as if that of the body were to signifie that of the minde; in the wit and wisdome of man there is a Rete mirabile, an admira­ble net, a heape and a cōjugatiō of manifold infolded Subtilties, which for the Maean­drian windings and turnings, and intricate devices cannot be [Page] be anatomized; with this admirable net the pernicious perverters of Learning▪ do catch the poor fish and foul they deal withall. But if ever this net was discovered; and that monstrous Sphynx of corrupted knowledge e [...]ploded to the World, this our Eng­lish Oedipus that Atlas of Learning (asSir [...] one stiles him) Reveren [...] Rainolds hath (as I [Page] think) in this most ex­quisite and pathetical Oration sufficiently and perspicuously ef­fected, insomuch that (in my opinion) that In Techno­matrian A­ [...]es [...]. Eulogie may very well suit to this Ora­tion,

Huc usque turpi nubilo pressum caput,

Inter que cunas artium pect us rude vincti te­nemus.

Nunc illa rerum mon­stra [Page] ridemus, Chaos Cacumque pondus, sole perfusi novo.

Englished thus.

Till now an ugly cloud our heads and hearts

Opprest, and in the Cradles of the Arts Were tyed fast.

But with a new Sun beam [...] our eyes made ope,

Now see that Chaos, which wee late did grope,

[Page] And laugh at it at last.

But notable is that testimony of a grave and learned Divine,H [...]n. I [...]ck­son in his Epistle prefixed to this O­ration. which may very wel excite thee (Courte­ous Reader) to the reading, as it did part­ly induce mee to the version of this Orati­on. Vt enim Academi­cis & nobis, qui egre­gia ipsius sanctitatis & pietatis certamina ad­mirati sumus difficile [Page] fuit judicare, an vir melior, vel doctior ille fuerit; ita illi qui Orati­ones hasces [...]ri [...] legerint, haerebunt, (opinor) ali­quandiù, an ipsi ex ea­rum lectione doctiores vel meliores evaserint. For as it was an hard matter both for the Vniversity and us, who have admired the Conflicts of his rare holines and pie­ty to determine, whether hee excelled in [Page] learning or in good­nesse; so they who shall seriously reade these Orations wil be in some doubt awhile (I thinke) whether they are become bet­ter men, or better Schollars by reading them.

Then pitty it were surely, that the Cabi­net of the Latine tongue should locke up so rich a Treasure, or that the shel of one [Page] Language should ex­clude many (though not expert in the La­tine tongue, yet judi­cious to apprehend) from participating of this delectable kernel of sound Learning & pious affectiō. I have therfore according to my poor skill turned this one into English, hoping that I shall be found fidus Interpres, in rendring the genu­ine sense & true mea­ning [Page] thereof, though my stile be not equi­valent either to the we [...]ght of the argu­ment, or to the Cicero­nian sweetnesse, and eleganc [...]e of the Ori­ginall As for the usu­all Cavils against Translations of profitable things, let that most learned Andraeas Hyperius answer for me,* In his Book [...] con­cion. An exact Trans­lation makes things so perspicuous, that [Page] it deserveth to bee e­steemed instead of a Commentary.

But howsoever I expect not to escape the stings of Censure especially of the com­mon adversaries of the Truth (the vindi­cating wherof is the very Center of this Oratiō) yet this is my Comfort, that I have in this point kept within the Circle of my calling, and im­ployed [Page] my small Ta­lent for the publique good. So farewell.

Thine in the common faith, Iohn Leycester.

THE ORATION.

IF any here present in this As­sembly, (honou­red Auditors) seeing hee hath not heard what I have formerly expound­ed in Aristotles Rhetori [...]ques, may perhaps mer­vaile what moved mee, who have taken upon me [Page 2] the Lectureship of the Greek tongue▪ to discourse of Aristotles Summum Bo­num, when the same par­ty heares the Blessednesse spoken of by Aristotle to be now explaned by me, and that it ought of neces­sity bee taught, that yee may both know how to perswade aright, & what the proper end of good things is, let him not dis­like the reason that mo­ved me, but let him attend to the matter now in handling. After hee per­ceives, that it is the drift of my discourse to shew Aristotles e [...]roneous opi­nion [Page 3] concerning Sūmum Bonum, hee will (I feare me) in his thoughts con­demne my drift and pur­pose, that I, but a young man, should so transgresse against the fashion of the Vniversitie, as to cry downe Aristotles credit. But when he shall under­stand, that I am enjoyned, as I am a publike Teach­er, to deliver sound and true opinions, not errors in the expounding of Au­thors, I hope hee will not censure mee too hardly. Will hee demand what reasons induced me to be of a contrary opinion to [Page 4] most of Aristotles Inter­preters now a days? Tru­ly, if I have any judgment at all, the vulgar and tri­viall Expositors of Ari­stotle do always, as much as they can, and some­times more then they ought, adhere unto him in their expositions. And e­ven as the Romans did highly extoll all Neroes actions, yea his Villanies, as sacred; in like manner they, as it were appro­ving al Aristotles sayings, though never so false, doe greatly applaud him. I be­ing therfore very inquisi­tive after the truth, when [Page 5] I had perused such writers as were not so much in­clined to Aristotle, I was upon sundry good groūds induced to believe, that A­ristotle was greatly decei­ved. For I did not onely rest upon the opinions of Ludovicus Vives, and Peter Martyr (as some malicious persons do ob­ject) whose authority not­withstanding, I doe, (as I ought) much esteeme of; but omitting others, who have handled this point before Vives and Martyr, both Talaus & Fox have of set purpose lately con­futed this Blessednesse of [Page 6] Aristotles. And those an­cient, and excellent men have long agoe so condemned it, that Gregorie Nazi [...]nze [...] calls it con­temptible and base▪ Eusebius unreasonable & false▪ Ambrose, Augustine, Ori­gen, Lactantius, Gregorie Nyssen call it very fooli [...] in part, and all of them do fl [...]tly affi [...]me it to be con­trary to tru [...]h and piet [...]e. Whose authoritie when it is confirmed by Christ himselfe, who alone, w [...]thout any other▪ ought to be imbraced [...] all authorities in the World let no man think it strange, that [Page 7] I had rather concuire in opinion with such and so great Clerks, then to hold an errour with Aristotle. I heartily wish, that this o­pinion were well setled in your minds, [...]s both rea­son and Religion doe re­quire; that so, I might have lesse trouble in spea­king, and you lesse irke­somnesse in heating those things, which should be as well pleasing, as they are wont to be distastfull unto you. But because this conceit is so deeply roo­ted in you, namely, that Aristotles opinion, which hath been approved and [Page 8] defended with the great labour and pains of so ma­ny learned Interpreters cannot be shaken; I wish you not sodainly to lay a­side this conceit of yours, although you see it so strongly opposed by so many, and so great autho­rities; onely I crave, that you wold not obstinately prejudicate those things which I shal speak against it. I suppose, that such, as are not obstinately bent in defending Aristotle, will grant, that so great authorities have some weight, but yet they will deny, that Aristotles opi­nion [Page 9] can be cōfuted with any Arguments drawne from his own Principles. I will not complain, that I am hardly dealt withall by them, who will have the question decided by those Principles, which being falsly framed have caused this false opinion, which I so dislike, especi­ally when Aristotle him­selfe useth first of all to shake the opiniōs of those Philosophers he contra­dicts in the fundamentall points, before he confutes them; as we may observe in Plato's Idea. But yet I will accept of this condi­tion, [Page 10] to prove Aristotle to be in a manifest errour by his own Principles. But because there are some o­ther things, which for the present doe more concern us▪ I intreat your patience, that the handling of this point may be deferred till another time; for as the husbandman, when hee intends to til his ground, that is overrunne with briats and thornes, doth first rid the ground of them, that hee may the more conveniently pro­ceed in his tillage, & sow his seed; even so, before your mindes can be setled [Page 11] in the true opinion of Summum Bonum, some distinctions, which, (like thornes and briars) have encumbred them, must be removed; that so the see [...] of truth may take deeper root, and spring up more fruitfully.

For there is risen up in this last age of the world, a sort of men unknowne to the Ancients, & hated of the Learned, who, not out of any desire to si [...]t out the truth, but to con­firme their own perverse opinions, would bee thought of ignorant peo­ple, in their rufflin [...] dis­putes, [Page 12] to defend grosse absurdities with their no lesse absurd, and foolish distinctions; in very deed they doe expose them to the judgement of all wise men to bee laughed at. There was one Callico (as Eustathius reports) none of the wisest, when hee went to sleepe, used to lay a brasse pot under his head for a pillow; an hard [...]olster sure, but very fit for his doltish pate; at the last awaking, and not ve­ry well pleased with his hard pillow, hee filled the pot with straw, to make it softer; the pot certainly [Page 13] was not softer, but it was enough for Callico, all the while the fool perswaded himselfe that it was softer. After the same manner, when we seek for case and rest to our perplexed mindes; certaine pa [...]try Philosophers do put under them this leaden Blessed­nesse of Aristotles, & when they c [...]mplain it is very hard, t [...]y fill it with the Chaffe [...]f Distinctions, & perhap [...] they perswade themselves, that it is sof­ [...]er, when neverthelesse, it is a leaden lumpish Bles­sednesse still. Whose bloc­kisnesse is so much the [Page 14] more worthy blame, be­cause that out of an obsti­nate wilfulnesse of uphol­ding Aristotle, they do so labour to reconcile the o­pinions of other Philoso­phers dissenting in the very judgement of Ari­stotle himselfe, that even as Proteus, sometime a stone, by and by a stock, anon fire, then again wa­ter.

Omnia transformant se­se in m [...]racula rerum.

They change thēselves to wōderments of things. So these men are some­times Stoicks, by and by Epicureans, anon Plato­nicks, [Page 15] then again Aristip­pians, and yet wholy Pe­ripateticks, and so it see­meth they would be all things and nothing. Cice­ro laughs at L. Gellius, who, when he came Pro­consul into Greece, called together all the Philoso­phers in Athens, and ex­horted them earnestly to leave off all wranglings, and to spend no more time in contentions, which if they would promise to doe, he promi­sed likewise to hold with them in opinion. But are not Distinguishers like unto this Gellius? They see [Page 16] well enough, that Philo­sophers do dissent in opi­nion? and what then? they, like pittifull men, go about to reduce them to an unity on equall con­ditions. But, because an unskilfull person does un­dertake the businesse, it is the more ridiculous; And must the busines be quite done & finished, because they make Aristotle the Iudge? Wheras, if those ancient Philosophers Pla­to, Aristotle, and Tully did but heare a [...]ter what man­ner their own repugnant opinions, are accorded now adayes, it is to bee [Page 17] doubted whether they would laugh or chafe at it. But if you please let us produce some one of these Distinguishers, which can defend the matter to their faces. Whom will yee have then, Buridanus, or Bricottus? I know ye can­not understand them, if they spake. Whom ther­fore wil ye have? whom? Donatus Acci [...]iolus the Florentine, both more e­loquent, then the rest, and better acquainted with you; who, if hee should appeare in place, and behold these Philoso­phers standing here with [Page 18] Cicero, he would perhaps thus accoast them. Why are yee thus in an uprore, and perplexity, O yee Philosophers? why are ye thus distracted with seve­rall opinions about Sum­mum Bonum? What, do yee not know, how that all your jar [...]ing, and diffe­ring opinions may easily be reconciled by distin­guishing? Have any of you wrote any thing con­cerning felicity or Sum­mum Bonum, which (al­though it be clean contra­ry to all other opinions) yet may not be accounted true in his kinde? I lesse [Page 19] indeed wonder, that thou O Cicero, doest not un­derstand the Philoso­phers, for thou hadst no distinctions; Be not osten­ded with mee, I say thou wantest distinctions. O­therwise why doest thou teach in thy Books de Fi­nibus, is in thy first Book, that Epicurus placed Sū ­mum Bonum in v [...]luptu­ousnes, in the third Book; that Zeno assigned it to moral honesty; & in thy fifth Book, that Aristotle placed Summum Bonum in the comprehension & composition of all good things internal, and ex­ternall; [Page 20] Why else didst thou refute the first opi­nion in the second Book, and the second opinion in thy fourth Book? Do­est thou not understand Distinctions, how, and in what manner all these o­pinions may bee true in their kinde? For wheras Epicurus resolves Volup­tuousnes to be Summum Bonum, hee means carnall Felicity; Zeno Vertue; he meanes Felicity simply; And whereas Aristotle ascribes Summum Bonum to united, and compacted good things, hee meanes added, or associated Feli­city. [Page 21] Why didst thou Ci­cero waste so much labour about confuting Zeno's, and Epicurus their opini­ons, when with one one­ly distinction, they may easily be accorded? But (O Aristotle!) (whom I admire as the Philoso­phers God) what reason hadst thou [...]o to calum­niate Plato's Idaea, and to wrest his meaning, that e­ven thy most favourable Interpreters do leave thee there? Thou wilt perhaps acknowledge this one fault of thine. But where is thy sharpe judgement become? Thinkest thou, [Page 22] that thine opinion cānot be true, unlesse Plato be con [...]ute [...]? Thou [...] wide all the World over For I in my life time taught, & thy Zuing [...]rus after my death wrote, that thou & Plato were both in [...] truth; for his Blessednesse was divine, and thine hu­mane, his was after this life, and thine in this life. What, it by distinguish­ing I do so reconcile their opinions, that differ from thine, and thine, whic [...] s [...]ems to contradict it sell that there shall appear no d [...]fference at al [...]? Eusebius teacheth, that Chr [...]stians [Page 23] do [...] then B [...]esse [...] ­nesse in the knowledge & worship of God; If wee should deny this, wee should be accounted im­pious; Therefore in thy behalf I thus distinguish. That is an heavenly [...]les­sednesse, and thine a ci­vile Blessednesse, that is true in Divinity, a [...]d thine is true in Philosophy. He­ [...]l [...]us the Philosopher pla [...]ed his Summum Bo­num in knowledge; this felicity of man consists in the minde onely; thy feli [...]city, so far forth, as it con­sists of body and minde. The Stoicks assigned fe­licity [Page 24] to vertue, and hone­sty; this also is an active felicity; but thine is both active and civill. Now forsooth thou mayst per­ceive, that externall good things are sometimes the necessary parts, somtimes not the parts, but the appurtenances of felicity. Here we make a medicine of simple felicity, & com­pacted felicity; Priamus is not happy with an as­sociated happinesse; again Priamus is happy in mi­sery with a single happi­nesse. One rub is yet be­hinde; wheras in the first Booke of thine Ethicks, thou ascribest an happy [Page 25] li [...]e to men in action; and again in thy tenth Booke, thou ascribest it to men in contemplation; We will decide the controversie, we love not contentions; Wee allow those active blessednesse, and these contemplative blessednes. And thus, Aristotle, thou seest the sundry opinions of other Philosophers, & thine owne to be all true in their kinde. If Dona­tus should speake thus, what answere doe you thinke those Ancients would make him? If Ho­race, Zeno, Epicurus and Plato were present, they [Page 26] and all things else would rejoyce over him, & give Donatus hearty thanks in the like Verses almost, as he gave Damasippus. Ho­rat lib. 2. Satyr. 3.

—Dii te Donate Dea (que)
Rectum ob judictum do­ment tonsore;
Sed undè tàm benè distin­guis?
For thy right judgement Donatus,
The sexes both divine
Give thee a Barbers bles­sing but
Where hadst thou such fine distinctions?

[Page 27] Philosophers would much wonder, that a foolish fellow understāds not, that these distinctions are frivolous by the very definition of Summum Bonum; which is termed of all Philosophers the upshot of all things, as that, whereon all other good things depend, but Blessednesse it selfe is no where subsisting one­ly in GOD. Cicero would exclaime against the words and manners of these doltish monsters, and tell them, that they had disgraced all Philoso­phy with their basenesse. [Page 28] Thus would Cicero speak. Truly I doe not (Dona­tus) account thee unlear­ned, as I have often done, nor brutish, as I have al­ways done; but a witlesse mad man by thy distin­ctions. For certaine it is (although the Dunscotists doe repine at it) that long ago I wrote upon the like subject, and I doe here a­gain recite it; that it may very well be, that not one of so many severall opini­ons of Philosophers is true; for how is it possi­ble that so many opini­ons, so much differing, & disagreeing bee all true? [Page 29] Fire and water may soo­ner bee reconciled toge­ther, than those opinions, which thou so strivest to compose. But ô the times we live in! O the manners of men now adays!

O fortunatam natam me Consule Romam!

O daughter Rome most fortunate, when I was Consull there!

I searched out the true Art of reasoning, and did apply it to the practice of Eloquence; but yee ob­trude upon yong Schol­lars, [Page 30] I know not what, monstrous Distinctions, and Demonstrations in stead of true Logicke, I searched out Philosophy by the light of Nature, living creatures, plants, & the probable conjectures of God; yee for the most part search after nothing but certaine trifling con­ceits, of motion, time, in­finite, empty matter, and privation; which you ap­ply to no practice, but pul in pieces (as it were) with your disputations. I have declared the severall opi­nions of Philosophers concerning Summum Bo­num; [Page 31] I have confuted them that were false; I ap­proved the most proba­ble; but you have so trans­formed their Opinions with your Medusaean [...]or­ceries of distinctions, that if you had pleaded with me at the bar, you might have maintained by your distinctions, that Clodius was at one and the same houre both at Rome, and [...]erano. But what doe I mean? Let us set aside Cicero and other Philoso­phers; for what doe they here? If they should come into our Schooles, they would bee so trou­bled [Page 32] with distinctions, that they would suppose themselves to bee in Epi­curus middle Worlds, and not in the Schools of the ancient Arts. Do but ob­serve these distinctions, they will serve the turne very well in the Schooles in Lent. Blessednesse, di­vine, humane, civill, hea­venly, simple, associated, active, contemplative, car­nall spirituall, in this life, after this life, according to man consisting of soule and body, and according to man subsisting of soule onely; (of soule onely? who is that? what? doe [Page 33] yee aske? The Schollar must believe his Master.) So farre forth as man is of a simple substance, and a compound substance, in [...] Philosophicall truth, and [...]n a Theologicall truth, & in his kinde; fifteene di­stinctions a very com­pleat number of even, and odde; marke them well: But first of all let in his kinde be well noted; for when all fails, in suo gene­re, will never faile. Varro reports, that a man may collect 288 severall opi­nions, concerning Sum­mum Bonum. It is very strange, if they be not all [Page 34] true in their kinde. Rhe­toricians contend, whe­ther Rhetoriques proper end bee to perswade soundly, or to speake ele­gantly and neatly; what need they trouble them­selves? each end is good in his kinde. Why do we make any difference be­tween Arts and Sciences in their conclusions, for, to speak finely, to pro­nounce well, or to speak rudely, to perswade and not to perswade, are all Rhetoricall ends in their kinde. For, what is it to be in action, or con­templation, vertue, or vo­luptuousnesse, [Page 35] the narrow path, or the broad path, doe they not all tend to life in their kinde? The Canonists are hardly cen­sured, because they called the Romish Bishop God, as the Romans of yore called the Emperour Domitian so. If they had had any brains, they might have distinguished him to be a God in his kinde: A mur­thering God as Mars, or God of the Romans, as Romulus, or God of this World, as [...]athan is. Doe yee not thinke, that the Physician does comfort his sicke Patient well e­nough, [Page 36] if he tell him, that hee is a sound man in his kinde? Surely these fel­lowes are sharp-witted Logicians in their kinde, but simply they are wran­gling pratling Sophisters, who like A [...]tolycus, ‘Candida de nigris, & de candentibus atra.’

The black to white, and white to black they turn.

They make miserable men of happy, and happy men of miserable. I would they had been appointed Iudges betwixt us, and [Page 37] the Councell of Trent; I suppose they would have affirmed each Religion to be true in his kinde, that to a carnall man, and ours to a spirituall man. But lest some jesting companion may sya, that I am fowly fallen out with distincti­ons, I must therfore di­stinguish distinctions, that I may resolve what distin­ctions are true, and lear­ned, and what are false & foolish. I embrace learned and true distinctions, which are used in dis­putes; but I scorne, and reject those distinctions as false, and absurd, which [Page 38] are propounded either simply, or in his kinde. But heere I would not have the authority of Di­stinguishers objected un­to me. For there are some, who, if you deny this un­happy Blessednesse to be true in his kinde, doe pre­sently betake themselves to this th [...]ed-bare Max­ime, [...]he Scholar must be [...]ve the Master. Truly I do not conceive to what purpose they produce th [...]s, unlesse perhaps they will thus argue; therefore these felicities are true in their kinde. O wondrous witty! You have hit the [Page 39] naile on the head▪ Is this a demonstration, because it is? Ar [...]totle himselfe could not more strongly demonstrate.

—Si Pergama dextra,
Defendi possent [...]na hac defensa fuissent.
If Fates to Troy had granted a defence,
This hand of mine had beat the Greeks from thence.

If demonstrations make such thunder-claps, I have done.

[Page 40] Hostis habet mu [...]os, ruit alto à culmine Troia.
The Enemy hath wonne the walls, and Troy comes tumbling down.

But certainly the Schol­ler must believe the Ma­ster, for so says Aristotle; And surely, he that teach­eth must not lie, for so sayes Aristotle also. If you will observe Aristotles law in teaching, unlesse I keep the same also in lear­ning, I shall transgresse. But if you teach false do­ctrines, which I ought [Page 41] not to believe; it is an ab­surd part in you to cōpell me to believe them. If you would have men believe what you teach, you must teach those things, which you ought to teach; if you will not discharge your duty in teaching, I will not discharge mine in the hearing; for oftentimes the Teachers authority is very prejudiciall to the Scholers profit. Thus said Cicero, I like not that Py­thagorean ipse dixit in mens resolutiōs. But they that are bound must o­bey; what must, if thy commands be unjust? A [Page 42] Scholar must bee credu­lous; if you teach false doctrine? Hee that hath twice suffered shipwrack is but a fool to trust Nep­tune. Wherefore if they will be ruled by mee; let them leave these poore shifts, and sticke fast to their surest refuge, as men use to doe in dangerous cases; namely, that they, which speak against Ari­stotle, doe not understand Aristotles meaning. They think, perhaps, that Ari­stotle was a jugler, which casts a mist [...]ore his Readers eyes. Do not we understād Aristotles meaning? [Page 43] O poore shift! So Cicero reports of Torqua­tus, who, when Epicurus opinions were called in question, said, that Philo­sophers did not under­stand Epicurus meaning. Certaine Pythagoreans said, that when the Hea­vens are turned about, they make an admirable harmony, but men can­not heare it. In like man­ner Democritus said, that his subtile moates were dispersed thr [...]ugh the frame of the whole uni­verse, but all men did not perceive them. What were Aristotles slaves able [Page 44] to understand him, and shall not we be able? Dio reports, that there is a cer­tain cave at Hierap [...]lis in Asia, whose vapours no living creatures, saving onely gelded men, are able to endure. Is not Aristo­tles stile like unto this Cave, whose savo [...]r, none but Eunne [...]es, that is, such as want the masculine liberty of judgement, and are Aristotles slaves can a­bide? it is even so. But perhaps they are like to that franticke fellow Horatia [...]us, who, the day after the publique playes were ended, would clap [Page 45] his hands in the Theater, & when his friends came running, and demanded the reason of his acclama­tions, seeing that no bo­dy acted; hee answered, that hee saw Actours, though they could not. These men surely see some strange things in A­ristotles Theater, and doe applaud them, which wee cannot discern. But what if I can shew, that they themselves do not under­stand him but being blin­ded with a self-conceit of Aristotles worth, as men distempered with some malady, doe with that [Page 46] franticke fellow imagine, that they see that, which they do not. And what if I proove unto you that Cicero, Diogenes, Laertius, and Alexander Aphrodi­saeus himselfe do interpret Aristotle, as I do? What if I shew those notable Champions and Lights of the Christian Church both the Greek and Latine Doctors, doe not onely so expound, but also confute Aristotle? What refuge have they then? I know not what answer they wil make to Cicero, Laertius, and Alexander; unlesse perhaps they will say [Page 47] that credit is not to be gi­ven to examples; at least wise, that the places cited, are but probable, not true. And mee thinkes I smell what they will say of Christian Writers. They wil not (except I be much mistaken) deny, that those things, which so worthy men have wrote against Aristotle are true, and yet they will deny that Ari­stotle cried. How then can it be possible, that in this very point they write truly that Aristotle erred, & yet (say they) Aristotle erred not? You shall heare: there is a twofold [Page 48] Truth; a Philosophicall Truth, and a Theologicall Truth. Aristotle was in an error according to a The­ologicall Truth, and in that sense he is blame worthy; but Aristotle erred not in a Philosophicall Truth, for in that sense hee could not bee mistaken without doubt, for hee is a miracle of Nature. What is this I heare? A Philosophicall Truth? and a Theologicall Truth? This is pulling in pieces, not distinguishing. Now indeed, I nothing marvell at those men, who use to scoffe and deride the simple Truth, when [Page 49] [...] can hatch two Truths for one; as drunken men use to see two Lanthorns for one; and Plautinus found two Masters for one Messeinus, and mad Pentheus beheld two Suns for one. They have so well profi­ted in the Art of wrang­ling, that they have quite forgotten how to dispute. For what is Truth? The Learned in the Greeke Tongue doe call Verum [...] of the Verbe [...], i [...] esse to be, because it is the same, which it is said to be. Therefore as Philoso­phers teach, that Contra­ries [Page 50] cannot stand together at one, and the same time in the same subject; so the same Philosophers teach, that contradictories can­not both be true of one and the same thing. Is it not then a shame for our Logicians to disable, and enervate the very first Principles of Logicke? For wheras Aristotle doth teach, that to affirme and deny the same thing not onely in the generall, but also in the particular must needs be cōtradictorious; these men do in very deed deny this truth; albeit they oppose a frivolous [Page 51] distinction (like a Cloud against the Sunne, to ob­scure the truth. Aristotles felicity is not true felicity, this they grant to be true in Divinity; again Aristo­tles felicity is true felicity; this they will have to be true in Philosophy. O sil­ly Epiphanius, who didst reck on the errours of Phi­losophers amongst Here­sies! O simple Iustin Mar­tyr, to confute Aristotles opinions in so great a Volume! D [...]d not they (silly men) know how to argue ma [...]ers in a phil [...]sophicall truth, when they em­brace a divine truth? But [Page 52] ô thou Apostle, Paul I am sorry for thee! why doest thou dispute with the Stoicks & Epicureans at Athens, of the resurre­ction of the dead, and the life to come? It needs no controversie at all. For al­though all Philosophers doe flatly deny the resur­rection of the body, yet it is in a philosophicall truth; but thou Paul dost affirme it in a Theologicall truth, as thou hadst lear­ned of Christ. But why dost thou dissent from all Philosophers to no pur­pose? Why doest thou not permit the Athenians [Page 53] to believe Philosophers? Doest thou thinke they will the more hardly be­come Christians for that? It is not reasonable to al­low Eusebius the benefit of this distinction; For he was in an error. He knew not this twofold truth. Hee sayes Aristotle doth impugne, and gainsay the Scriptures, in that hee did ascribe felicity to the ex­ternall welfare of the bo­dy in that hee said that Gods Providence exten­ded not to every subluna­ry thing; in that hee said the World was eternall, not created, and that the [Page 54] soule of man was not e­ternall but mortall. Euse­bius affirmes, that in all these points Aristotles o­pinions are flat against the Scriptures. Thou art mistaken Eusebius! Ari­stotle doth not thwart the Scriptures. Thou must learne to distinguish be­tweene a Philosophicall Truth, and a Theologicall Truth. Come hither Am­brose, come Augustine, come all the rest of Do­ctors, and learne of our Philosophers, that there is one Truth in Divinity, & another Truth in Philo­sophy. They do Philoso­phers [Page 55] much wrong. Plu­tarch reports, how that one bid a Painters boy who had painted a Cock [...]l-favouredly to chase a­way all right Cocks from his picture. Those men that doe alienate divine Truth, doe the very same thing. Yet if these men had bin Painters, I doubt not, but they would have distinguished, that they had painted well accor­ding to the truth of the Picture, though not ac­cording to the truth of the Cocks nature. But as Tiridates King of Arme­nia called that wicked [Page 56] Wretch Nero his God; So Aristotles Patrons, do ascribe the name of Truth to the vaine Opinion of Philosophy. Which if it be once granted, what can be so absurd, but it may be defended, or what so false, but it may be pro­ved, either with an Epicu­rean, Platonicall, Stoicall, or Turkish Truth; or with a Papisticall, or Hereticall Truth; to cōclude, which way not? And in this manner, as Democritus not satisfied with the opi­nion of one World, drea­med of infinite Worlds; so we not contented with [Page 57] one truth, shall conceive innumerable truths of our owne braine. But this will be the issue of all at last in despight of Philo­sophers, that as Varro reckons up 30000 Gods amongst the Gentiles, when indeed there was but one onely; even so, when they have forged 30000 Truths, they shall finde but one only, and that is the simple Truth, which they so deride. Here before I proceed any further, lest these things perhaps exami­ned, which I have allea­ged (and I very gladly [Page 58] desire they may be) are not to be found in Euse­bius, which I have cited out of Eusebius; yee shall understand, that they are not to be found in the La­tine Eusebius. Trapezun­tius, who was Aristotles great friend, translated Eusebius his Books de Eu­angelica praeparatione into the Latine tongue. Fourteene of his Books, which contain a consuta­tion of Heathens and Philosophers, Trapezun­tius translated into Latin, but as for his fifteenth Booke, which Eusebius wrote almost altogether [Page 59] against Aristotles errours, as concerning mans Feli­city, the Worlds Fterni­ty, the Providence of God, and the Souls Mor­tality, Trapezuntius never medled with that. Therefore lest any man, being deceived with the Table of the Booke, doe traduce me, ye shall know that Latine Eusebius de Evangelica praeparatione wants the fifteenth Book, in which are cōtained the things by me alleaged If any will look for it, hee may finde it in the Greeke Copy. Study therfore the Greek tongue, that ye may be able to discern the craf­tinesse [Page 60] of Interpreters, which is too frequent in prophane writings, but chiefly in the Scriptures. What Eusebius thought fit to write for the advan­tage of the Christiā faith, Trapezuntius thought not fit to be expounded, because it weakned Ari­stotles credit. How much worse then hee, are our men in these dayes, who, fearing lest they should savour too much of Chri­stianity, desire to heare young Striplings speake finely, and to defend by arguments, points repug­nant to godlines; but are loth to hear those things, [Page 61] which are consonant to godlinesse. And yet they love Piety, they love Re­ligion, So, I think, as the Ape loves her puppies, or as Iuno loved Hercules; They love exceedingly; they kill with loving; They love, as Thais loved Phaedria.

Misera prae amore exclu­sit hunc foràs,
Shee poor soule for ve­ry love hath shut him out of doores.

Let us speak like Phi­losophers (say they) [Page 62] when we dispute, when wee declayme. I had thought yee had rather have spoken like Christi­ans. Are you to be saved, redeemed and judged of a Philosopher? were yo [...] initiated in the Mysteries of Philosophers? But what does this concerne us say they? Wee may speak as Philosophers, we are not Divines yet. Di­vines? It is a womans priviledge to say what she list; for without doubt they will never bee Di­vines, unlesse perhaps they be Popes, as (some say) Ioane was of yore; [Page 63] and albeit they may bee such, they may not bee Divines for all that. But why do they separate the bounds of Divinity and Philosophy, like the Bor­ders of England and Scot­land? I thinke this was the Deputies doing. But yet we may speak as Phi­losophers. What? as Diagoras, when hee denied there was a God? as Pro­tagoras, when hee doub­ted whether there was a God or no? as Aristotle, when hee takes away▪ Providence from God? These are the words of Atheists. What then? as [Page 64] Plato, when hee sets up a Purgatory? or Porphyrius, who sayes that Angels are to be worshipped? or as Aristotle, when he teach­eth Free-will? Let Pa­pists picke out such stuffe for themselves. What then? shall we say with Epicurus that the soule is mortall? with Aristippus, that Pleasure is Summum Bonum? or with Plato that a mutuall Participa­tion of Wives is to be to­lerated? No, wee allow none of these? But wee would have Declamati­ons, not Sermons. What is a Declamation? Is it to [Page 65] deny that to be a Poeme, which wants fabulous matter? or shall not that be called a Declamation, which is not stuffed with impiety? If such are no better, than base Strum­pets, which esteeme no­thing wittily spoken, but that which is obscene; what kinde of Philoso­phers are they which ac­count nothing spoken O­rator-like, but that which is prophane? But wee would heare Philosophi­call points. If they be true and good they dissent not from holy things. If they bee naught and untrue, [Page 66] what are they to be estee­med? The Persiās thought it a great fault in a childe, either to lie, or speak cor­ruptly; Do yee make our Christian Youth worse then the Heathen? would you not have us speak as Philosophers? I would have you speak like wise­men, not like the ignorant and unlearned. I call them wise men, who propound true matters, [...]nd them ig­norant, who teach un­truths▪ For Philosophy is the study of Wisdome; Wisdome comprehends the knowledge of Divine and Human things; more­over [Page 67] knowledge is of true things; & therupon those things onely, which are said to be true, deserve the name of Philosophy. For Philosophers are not Philosophers, when they digresse from the truth. But because the name of Philosophy is commonly ascribed to the opinions of Philosophers, whether true or false, and not to true wisdome; yee ought to remember what the Apostle warnes you to take heed of, Lest any m [...]n spoile you through Philo­sophy. Coloss. 2. 8. For there are some amongst us now [Page 68] adayes, who maintaining most pernicious errours contrary both to reason and religion, call it Philo­sophy.

Nesci [...] furtivo: Dido me­ditatur am [...]res.
C [...]njug [...]um vocat h [...]c prae texit nomi [...]e culpam.
On amorous th [...]s runs Dido's b [...]nded minde▪
To hide her fault shee W [...]dlocks c [...]oak doth finde.

She called it marriage, but she comm tred adul­tery; They call it Philo­sophy, [Page 69] but they do defend impiety. You must not imitate Caracalla Caesar, who was so in love with the very name of Alexan­der, that he was much of­fended, that a base Ruffi­an (whose name was A­lexander) was arraigned before him. Doest thou accuse Alexander (said he) hold thy peace, or else wo be to thee. Take yee heed, lest by loving the name of Philosophy, yee enter­tain Philosophers errors. He accused Alexander, but yet a Ruffian; I reject Philosophy, yet that which is erroneous. But [Page 70] some (like Caracalla) will say to mee; What doest thou condemne Philoso­phy? ho [...]d thy tongue of Philosophy, or e [...]e thou shalt heare ill news. I care not for bad dealing from b [...] men: I accou [...]t not [...] to be Summ [...]m [...]. I doe admonish you againe, and aga [...]ne▪ to t [...]ke [...] of Philosoph [...]. What admonitions the Ap [...]st [...]e, and ancient Fa­thers have given, what the learned of la [...] times have continually admo­nished you of, both by precepts and examples, that doe I likewise. Thus [Page 71] doth Lactantsus often presse, and repeate, that Philosophy is false, and frivolous; The Philosophers could speak wel like learned men, but they could not speake truely, because they were not in­structed by him who was Puiss [...]nt in Truth. So said Eusebius, that Philo­sophers erred from the truth, that Philosophy was stuffed full of vaine con­jectures, divers errors, and trifling toyes. Thus Ter­tullian said, that Heresies were suborned and sup­ported by the Philoso­phy of Plato, the Stoicks, [Page 72] Epicurus, Heracl [...]tus, Ze­no, and Aristotle; & that Heresies did spring, and spread from Secular Lear­ning. What shall I recite Iustine Martyr, Saint Am­brose, Saint Augustine, and the rest, who doe fre­quently, and vehemently urge the same opinion? What shall I say of later Writers, as Ludovicus Vives, Picus Mirandula, Hieronymus Savanorol [...]? which three most learned men doe tell us with one consent, that they must be very warily perused; who are they? I say not Phi­losophers, but Aristotle [Page 73] and Plato the Princes of Philosophers. Why so? because Aristotle makes men ungodly, and Plato superstitious. Doe ye de­sire examples? Pompona­tius became a wretched man by listning too much to Aristotle; and Ficinus became superstitious from the Platonicall dreames of Spirits. Many pestilent errours, first entred into the Churches of Chri­stians, & continued there a long fime, (yea, and at this day doe spoile them) from the errours of Pla­to's and Aristotles Philo­sophy. And is the world [Page 74] bewitched still, with the delusions of Satan, that Christians will defend Philosophers errours in publike Assemblies with idle and rotten distincti­ons? They little thinke, that by this abominable custome, it is come to passe, that the Christian Faith hath not residence in the hearts, but in the Temples of Christians, and not there sometimes. O what a difference is be­twixt even the Heathens, and us Christians? Ari­stotle forsooke his Master Plato to uphold his owne errors, and wee will not [Page 75] forsake Aristotle, that we may defend Gods Truth. Virgill gathered gold out of the dunghil of E [...]ius; and shall we scrape toge­ther stinking filth out of the Philosophers Store-house? Isocrates calleth speech the image of the minde; Democritus calls it the shadow of work­manship; shall we imagine that our thoughts and a­ctions are agreeable to Christianity, if we speake as Heathens? Wickedly and falsly spake those fil­thy Poets.

[Page 76]
Vita verecunda est; Mus [...] jocosa mea est;
Lasciva est nobis pagi­na, vita proba.
Demure my life, though merry be my Muse,
An honest life lascivi­ous lines may use.
C [...]stum esse decet pium P [...]ctam ipsum,
Versu [...]os nihil necesse est.
A Poet himselfe devout and chast must be,
That his Verse bee so, there's no necessity.

[Page 77] Well said Socrates; such as the minde is, such is thy speech. Speech is the badge of the minde. Is thy speech corrupt? thy thoughts are impure. A prophane tongue, and a true Christian will never agree. What pains Chri­stians bestow in the Church, Philosophers destroy in the Hall. Beate downe the affections as much as you can, and lop off the sprouts, yet they will spring again, quench the firebrands, yet they will kindle againe. Yee should inure your selves from tender age to the [Page 78] best things; Children ought to be instructed in sound, and true opinions even from their infancie. There is no time, place, or occasion allotted for naughtinesse. There is no doubt, but Iulian the A­postate, (who had his e­ducation from the Empe­rour Constantine) heard many Sermons in the CHURCH, but those private Conferences at home with [...]hat declay­ming Li [...]an [...]us instilled into his minde more naughtinesse, than all the Sermons hee heard could expell. Nero heard many [Page 79] notable precepts of his Master Seneca; but those flattering wordes, All things are lawfull for a Prince, marred all those Precepts. Deceive not your selves, One sparke of fire is able to kindle more Gunpowder, than all the Ocean can quench. Concu­piscence is so deeply roo­ted in us, that as it is easi­ly kindled like Gunpowder, so it more contagi­ously rageth. Take heed of the flame, yea, the sparks of this fire. What doe our Philosophers an­swer to this? Surely they laugh at my simplicitie, [Page 80] who require Godli­nesse, and Christiani­tie in their Studies. What have wee to doe (say they) with this over-busie godlinesse and Holinesse? Wee leave that to Divines, let them preach CHRIST devoutly, What have wee Philosophers to doe with Divinitie? It is not our profession. Let us speake like Aristotle, like Philosophers. For whereas the Apostle commands the CO­LOSSIANS to be­ware, lest they be de­ceived through Philoso­phy, [Page 81] that (say they) belongs not to all Chri­stians, but onely to Di­vines. It is written in­deed unto the CO­LOSSIANS, and Geographers say, that COLOSSUS was a Citie, but COLOSSAE (without doubt) was a Divinitie Schoole; or at least-wise because it is written unto Christi­ans, it is an advice, not a precept; of which sort there are some things in the Gospell, which are not prescribed to all, but to compleate Christians; as the Expositors of Ari­stotles Moralls do teach. [Page 82] shall we leave off the old want of defending Ari­stotle, whom the most learned of the Vniversi­ties have so long time highly esteemed? nay, we will rather with the Au­gustinians maintain all A­ristotles sayings even a­gainst the superstitious Stoickes, according to a Philosophicall truth, not according to a Di­vine Truth, not by the light of Faith, but of Rea­son, so farre forth as wee are Philosophers, not as we are Christians. Thus do these men in their cups bragge, and brave it out, though not perhaps in [Page 83] these very same words, yet in the same sense. But I wo [...]ld advise these men to cōsider, that since they wil live like Philosophers, let them take heed, that they die not Pagans. A certain plain Country fel­low seeing a noble man of Germany cla [...] in ar­mour in the morning, like a General of the field, and with his Mitre like a Pre­late in the Church at eve­ning, asked one of his ser­vants, why his Lord and Master did sometimes weare an Helmet, & som­times a Mitre; he answe­red, because he was both [Page 84] a Prince, and Bishop of a City. A Prince, and a Bishop said the Countrey man? I pray you (Sir) tell mee, if the Prince goe to Hell, whither shall the BI­SHOP goe? If I had so much authoritie as the Countryman, I would aske these Philosophers, and these Centaure Chri­stians, both men & mon­sters, these Hermaphro­dites both men and wo­men, or rather neither, who speake impiously as Philosophers in the Schooles, and holily in the Church like Christi­ans, [Page 85] what thinke you will become of the Christian, if the Philosopher bee thrust down to Hell? Let no body wrest my words otherwise, than I mean; I know not how it may fall out, that I may hereafter lay the fault upon your tongues, seeing that those things, which I have spo­ken true, through your misreporting them, may be accounted false. I have at the last bid farewell to obscene Poets, such as (for th [...] most part) are not to be taught to children. I have fetched this out of Saint Augustine in his [Page 86] Confessions who aver­reth Terence expresly not worthy to be read, and blame such Grammarians as expound him. If this seemes absurd to them, why doe they finde fault with mee? let them finde fault with S [...]int Augu­stine. But let no man so mistake my meaning, as though I condemned the reading of all Poets; as though I should say, be­cause children must be fed with milke, not with flesh, some Butcher, or o­ther should inferre, that I spake against eating of flesh absolutely. Now if [Page 87] it bee reported againe to Butchers that my demand was, what will become of the Christian, when the Philosopher is thrust downe to Hell; My an­swer is this to Butchers, that I speake of Philoso­phers in the same sense, that Tertullian did; What likenesse is there between a Philosopher and a Chri­ [...]ian? What hath Athens to do with Ierusalem? an Vniversitie with the Church? or what have Heretiques to doe with Christians? He calls Phi­losophers Heretiques. He was never acquainted [Page 88] with this absurde distin­ction of a P [...]ilosophicall truth, and a divine truth; but he calls Philosophers Hereticks. He complains, that Philosophy hath bin many sundry ways distri­buted into Heresies, by the industry and labour of Philosophizing Fel­lows, which have corrup­ted the truth in the Church. What hath A­thens to doe with Ierusa­lem? an Vniversity with the Church, or Hereticks with Christians? And yet shall any man marvell, why I am of opinion, that it is dangerous to speake [Page 89] like Philosophers? Men speaking as Philosophers have long agoe infected the Greeke Church, and almost all Europe with di­vers errours. Men speak­ing as Philosophers have in our dayes polluted all Italy (would to God it were but Italy only) with most noysome opinions. Those two most vild and gracelesse men (if they may be called men) Cor­nelius Agrippa, and Ni­cholas Machiavell speak as Philosophers, of whom, the one in his naturall, the other in his Morall Philosophy have disgor­ged [Page 90] such Lessons.

Qualia cred [...]le est rictu ru [...]sse [...].
[...]be [...]on, & Stygii m [...]n stratremenda lacus.
As if the Stygian Lake, or three chopt Cerbe­rus,
Had spued their mon­strous ugly fil [...]h on us.

Pomponatius, and Car­danus spake as Philoso­phers, whereof the one wrote that cursed Trea­t [...]se of the Souls mortali­ty, the other broached many impious errours in [Page 91] his subtilties. I deny not, but they are both confu­ted, Pomponatius sleight­ly by Contarenus, & Car­dane soundly and tho­roughly by Scaliger. But how many in the meane time have they spoiled with their philosophicall sentences? Poison hur­teth moe, then the Medi­cine helpeth; neither are all cured, that are poyso­ned. And is any man so foolish to seeke to bee wounded, that he may be cured? What then will some say, doe you forbid the reading of prophane matters, l [...]st men be cor­rupted [Page 92] therby? Shall we not reade Aristotle, Plato, Cicero, De [...]osthenes? shall wee not attaine to the knowledge of Historie, Philosophy, Eloquence? And hereupon Philoso­phers w [...]ll ampli [...]ie, that a thing is not to be reje­cted for the abuse of it. F [...]e [...]ds are drowned with waters; Houses are con­sumed with fire, the earth is scorched with the Sun, men are spoiled by buil­dings, and yet for all this water, fire, the Sun, hou­ses and buildings are ne­cessary. I would not have the thing it selfe, but the [Page 93] abuse thereof abolished, and the proper use therof restored again. I doe not say, that hee offendeth that reades profane Au­thors, so that he doe but lightly passe them over; but this I take to be sin­ [...]ull, when profane things are believed; for then art thou foyled, when thou givest credit to them. And in that case. I hold it dangerous to defend them; for therby perhaps thou hurtest others, or else art hurt thy self. Thou must also take heed not onely what thou defen­dest, but also what, and in [Page 94] what manner thou rea­dest; For although thou doest but touch those things, that thou readest, yet be not so carelesse; for many things, but touched doe hurt, and sometimes kil. Saint Augustine makes mention of a little Fly called a Cynips, which is of so small a substance, that, unlesse you be very sharp-sighted, you can­not discern her, yet when shee fastens on you, shee will sting soundly, so that shee, that you could not perceive cōming to sting, you shall too late repent her stinging. But if your [Page 95] judgements bee not so sharp-sighted, to discern those, which I call the stings of philosophy, yet know, that Philosophy is [...] Cynips, which uses to sting heedlesse men; feele it not after it is too late. The veriest foole that is learnes wit after a shrewd turn. The byting of an Aspe procureth a most sweet sleep, insomuch that one cannot be sensible of death approaching, but it is a deadly sleepe at last. Enjoy thy sweete sleepe Cleopatra, I envie thee not, for thine Aspes by­ting: I will propose to [Page 96] you Ieromes opinion set downe in his Epistle to D [...]m [...]sus concerning the Prodigal [...] sonne; it is in­deed rejected of the per­tinacious, but embraced of the wiser sort, and is very necess [...]r [...] [...]or al sorts of men. Ieromes words are these, Even as it was lawfull for the Iewes, if they had gotten a beauti­full woman captive, to take her to wife upon this con­dition, that first her head should be shaved, her nails pared, & her captive gar­ments cast away; In like manner, it may be lawfull for Christians to use Philo­sophers, [Page 97] and [...]ooks of Se­cular Learning, but with this condition, that what­soever they finde in them, that is profitable and use­full, they convert it to Christian doctrine, and do, as it were, shave off, and pare away all super­fluous stuffe concerning I­dols, love and carnal cares of the world. And lest any should cavill and say, that those things, which wee ought to believe, apper­tain to faith, and yet men are not for all that forbid­den to talke as Heathens; Ierome proceeds, (His meaning is not of such as [Page 98] speake profanely, but of such [...]s read profane mat­ters.) Neither let us flatter our selves (saith hee) al­though wee do not believe those things which are written, when others con­sciences are wounded; and wee may be thought to ap­proove those things wee reade, when we do not re­prove them. If any wi [...]l further object, that these things are written to the Bishop, or else they are to be understood of deeds, and actions; let him know that Ierome speaks also of words; yea, of all Chri­stians in generall. For hee [Page 99] annexeth, Farre be it from [...] Christians mouth to ut­ter omnipotent love, so helpe Hercules, so help me Castor, and such like ra­ther bug-beares, than di­vine powers. Therefore [...]hosoever shall at any time utter such idle [...]ords, hee is not to be allowed in that. Marke [...]hat Ierome sayes, farre [...] it from a Christians [...]uth to utter Omnipo­tent Iove, so help me Her­cules, or Castor, and such [...]ike rather bug-bears, than leities. What shal we not [...]ame the immortal gods, not Iupiter? What, not [Page 100] in verse? not in our talke? not when wee declayme, or dispute? Why do yee aske mee? Augustine re­proves it, Ierome abhors it. Far be it from a Chri­stian to speak thus. And if the most excellent men have been so strict about trifling words, let our wit lesse youngsters at length leave off their railing in e­very place where they come, that there are some upstarts of a new opini­on, who would neither have others to defend A­ristotle in all points, nor yet wil defend him them­selves. O hainous fact! [Page 101] My neighbour Q. [...]ube­r [...] doth advertise thee C. Caesar of a crime never heard of before, Q. Li­garius is gone into Africa. That which all the Anci­ents both sacred and pro­phane, Greeks, Latines, Christians, and Heathens have freely done, that which the most learned amongst later Writers of Logicke, Rhetoricke, and Philosophie both naturall and morall, have not one­ly done themselves, but taught others to doe so, (because men by nature, Philosophers by truth, discreet men by reason, [Page 102] wise men by piety, and Christians by religion are not perswaded, but commanded; not intreated, but compelled) some fa­ctious fellowes, who ac­cuse Aristotle of many grosse errours (although hee alone of all men the the Pope excepted could not erre) have appeached us of a new crime never before heard of till now. What shall wee do ther­fore? Whither shall wee turn our selves? shall wee [...]all to reasoning? But it cannot be possibly that ever Aristotle should be refu [...]ed by arguments; [Page 103] no, although hee should speake Contradictories Shall wee flie to authori­tie? You object modern Writers, Vives, Ramus, Talaeus, Martyr; these are either unlearned, or proud. If you presse us with ancient Fathers, as Eusebius, Augustine, Ter­tullian, Ierome, they doe not condemne us, but the Heathens. If you alleage the Schools of Germany, and Switzerland (who have reformed the man­ner of teaching Philoso­phy with Religion,) they will be thought of some to have dealt superstiti­ously [Page 104] in this point; al­though I doubt not, that learned judgements are nothing at all mooved with these pettie cavils, yet to give al men satisfa­ction, if I can) not insisting upon these arguments, which they are wont to jest at) I will produce certain witnesses, so fresh in memory, that have ob­served this manner of teaching, men so well practised in Letters, that doubtlesse they have been well versed in it. They are by place, and authoritie Bishops at least, for num­ber almost two hundred; [Page 105] namely the whole gene­rall Councell of Lateran held at Rome within lesse, then these sixtie yeeres. Marke I pray you dili­gently what I alleage, for it is a place most worthy your observation, and it is extant in the third Vo­lume of Councels in the Lateran Councell under Leo the tenth, the eighth Session; if any be desirous, hee may see this more at large, which I doe but point at. About that time, when the Professors of Aristotle in the Vniversi­ties had prevailed thus farre, that they defended [Page 106] by Aristotle the soule to be mortall, at least wise in a philosophicall sense (o­therwise perhups, then Aristotle himself meant) because that Commenta­tor Averroes thought, that Aristotle meant so; it was declared by the La­teran Councell, That cer­tain pernicious errours, al­wayes abhorred of the faithfull, were sowed in the Lords field by that conta­gious Contriver of all mis­chiefe, and amongst the rest, that the soule of man is mortall; which whosoe­ver shall affirme, to be true, are taxed by that [Page 107] Councell for rash and [...]nadvised Philosophers. And no more but so? yea, they are all con­demned, that doe af­firme, or once questi­on it. True may some say according to Divini­ty; nay, but they are con­demned, whosoever doe [...]ouch it to be true even in Philosophy; I say Philosophy; for it is ex­presly named in the De­cree. Heare the generall Decree annexed. Foras­much as truth can in [...] wise bee opposite to truth, wee doe resolve, that every assertion con­trary [Page 108] to the Christian faith is altogether false; and we doe straightly forbid all o­thers to conclude other­wise. And wee doe decree, that all persons, who doe pertin [...]ciously mayntaine this errour, are to be taken heed of, and punished as breeders and dispensers of damnable heresies, and to be hated and abhorred in all points, as Hereticks and Infidels, who go about to extinguish the Catho­like faith. You heare, that our rash [...]heady Philoso­phers are pronounced by a generall Councell to be hated and abhorred as [Page 109] Heretickes and Infidels. But now (lest they might seem onely to make a de [...]cree against the defenc [...] of Aristotles errors) they enjoyn further, that they be not onely not defen­ded, but also, that they be [...]ongly opposed, and rejected. Which, let them [...]ell consider, who have [...]he charge of Philosophi­ [...]all disputations; for thus [...] follows in the Decree. Wee straightly charge and command all Professors of Philosophy in Vniversities and publique Readers else­where, that when they read, or expound to their [Page 110] hearers the points of Phi­losophy, which are contrary to the true faith, as of the soules mortality, the worlds eternity or such like opini­ons, that to their uttermost power, they vindicate the truth of Christian Religi­on from such errours, and explain it to their hearers, and (as much as they can) both by doctrine and ex­hortation [...]root out, and con­fute these arguments of Philosophers, seeing they may be easily confuted. Thus ye have the Decree, the curse is denounced a­gainst all t [...]e violaters therof. And this Decree [Page 111] was not ratified by a few, but by the whole Coun­cell in generall; saving onely worshipfull Master Thomas Superintendent of the Preachers Order did not approve it. He, as it seems, more favouring Aristotle, then Piety, said that the second part of the Decree did not please him, wherin it was enjoy­ned that Philosophers should openly teach, and instruct their Auditories in the true Faith. Now then let it seeme doubtfull (if it be possible) whe­ther the conceit of one onely Master Thomas a [Page 112] younger Brother of the Preachers Order, or the Decree of the general L [...] ­teran Coūcel ratified with an exec [...]ation annexed, is to be preferred. Moreo­ver, if the Laterā Coūcel, if the R [...]mish Bishop, if the Cardinals themselves of the Romish Church (ma­ny chief points of whose Religion rather agrees with Aristotle, and the Philosophers, than with Christ, and his Apostles) doe denounce a Curse a­gainst all such, as shall af­firme Aristotles opinion [...] dissenting from Christ to be true, though in a phi­losophicall sense, what will become of us thinke [Page 113] you, who have taken up­on us the profession of pure Religiō purged from Superstition, freed from the rotten devices of men, and clensed from the drosse and dregs of all er­rours? I omit the pressing of this point in the Ny­cene Assembly of Cardi­nals appointed for that purpose; They held it a great abuse, and a matter of dangerous cōsequence for Philosophers to broach impieties in pub­lique Schools, and not to discover how weake the light of nature is to dis­course of God, the world, and such like arguments, [Page 114] and in all their disputati­ons not to make piety their chiefest ayme. I presse no [...] the opinion of sworne Witnesses those Cardinals, Sadole [...], Conta­re [...], Poole; I stick to the Laterane Councels De­cree. Whosoever there­fore affirmeth it to bee true but in a philosophi­call sense, that the soule i [...] mortall, or that the world is eternall, if he feare God, let him know, that hee grievously prophanes Gods Name, when the authority of his Word is disabled, either in jest, or in earnest. If hee be a Pa­pist, [Page 115] let him know, that he is pronounced an exe­crable Heretick, and Infi­dell, lyable to a Curse, and delivered up to Satan, by the Romish Bishop, and the Lateran Councell: if hee be an Atheist, let him take his liberty of philo­sophizing, defend his di­stinctions, and what hee list; I forbid him not. To all others, whether they are godly, or seeme to be so, what I say of the Worlds Eternity, or the Souls Mortalitie, I say the same of all other questi­ons, which dissent from Christian godlinesse (a­mongst [Page 116] which is Aristo­tles opinion of Blessednes, condemned by the judg­ment of Eusebius, Lactan­tius, Augustine, Ambrose, Gregory Nyssen, naz [...]an­zene, and many other most learned men:) Let them look to it, which de [...]fend it. Let Philosophers distinguish the Sorbonists barke, Epicureans rage, Machiavili [...]ns scoffe, the Truth is conquerer; They themselves totter, and shake, fall and rot, but the Truth will triumph Truth (like the Palme-tree) the more it is kept downe, the more it flou­risheth, [Page 117] and by how much the more forcibly it is bended down-wards, by so much the more vigo­riously it reflecteth up­wards. The Sun ofttimes is darkned, but that dark­nesse is discussed. Proser­pines golden branches are broke off, but they spring again; Truth may be pres­sed, but it cannot be op­pressed. But if any Novice in Philosophy be offen­ded at these things, which are truly uttered (neither can it bee expected but some will take offence at them) let him not like a Momu [...] backbite in a cor­ner, [Page 118] or maliciously tra­duce this, or that thing, which I have spoken, but let him refute mine Ora­tion. He shall not need to goe to the Augustinian Monkes, let him writewithin his owne walls; Words are but winde, writings will stick by it, let the learned judge. I will most willingly give him a copy of mine Ora­tion. And so I doe hear­tily againe, and againe intreat the Aristotelians, if they have any confi­dēce in their cause, if they beare any true affection either to Aristotle, or Phi­losophy, or the Truth, [Page 119] that they will confute mine opinions. If they cannot doe it (for I doubt not of their good will to do it) let them leave their wonted obstinacie, and yield to the truth. Let them not object, they are not suffered to speak their minds openly, they have place enough to write their mindes, and that they may do more freely, and upon better delibera­tion. I acknowledge mine own weaknesse, no man more, but strong is the Truth. I doe not so much distrust my selfe, as I trust to my Cause. A very child may mayntain [Page 120] a good cause; but Cicero himsefe is not a sufficient Patron for a bad cause But I would wish them to provide new distincti­ons; for these, which I have handled, have been oftner boyled, than the Colewo [...]t in the Pro­verbe, not twice, but a thousand times, which the stomack of Polyphe­mus himself is not able to disgest, so that it is no mervaile our Schollers are sicke so often, when they are crammed with such distinctions. If any more sober minded hath either not understood, or [Page 121] not approoved what ac­cording to mine abilitie I rather pointed at, than explained, by reason of the shortnesse of the time, I intreat him to come to mee; hee shall finde mee most ready to teach what I know, or to learn what I know not: We do not all know all things, I may erre, I am willing to be instructed. This onely I crave, that no man doe rashly carpe at what is done; I neither contemne nor condemne the studie of Philosophy. But I see a deeper wound concea­led. There are some in [Page 122] whose hearts impious profanenes is so fast roo­ted, that they make piety not onely to seeme harsh and unsavoury to others, but to be rejected and vi­lified by themselves. Tru­ly as Saint Augustine wrote long agoe (that the enemies of grace lay con [...]chedunder the name of na­ture) so it may be as truly said in our times, that the enemies of the Faith lie couched under the name of Philosophy. I know indeed there are many that erre through lack of knowledge, but I mean the obstinate, and perti­nacious [Page 123] Patrons of Phi­losophy; of whom would to God that were untruly spoken, which I here speak againe with griefe, The enemies of the faith lie couched under the name▪ of Philosophy. I shall be thought of some to be their enemy, now I have rub'd their soares: So mad Orestes in Euripides called his sister Electra a Fury of Hell, because she tied him fast in his bed, lest hee should run mad; But her brothers outragi­ous words nothing daun­ted Electra, neither shall these mens prejudicate [Page 124] censures disquiet mee, when they are whole, they will give me thanks. The Physician must bear with the frowardnesse of his patient; For I am not ignorant how many and how bitter grudgings I shall meet with all, which did I know to bee spent upon these trifles of mine, I should be very stupid, if I should not e­steeme them as matters of great importance, both for your benefit, true pie­ties sake, and Gods glory, which (the Lord is my witnesse) I onely aime at. These may seeme light [Page 125] matters, but the trees vi­gour consists in the root. The Scriptures and pro­fane writings are like Hip­pocrates twins, laughing together, weeping toge­ther, sicke together, and sound together. In those Vniversities where the Gospell doth flourish, the [...]ooleries of Duns Scotists are banished thence, wit­nesse Geneva, Leiden, Ba­ [...]ill, Germany is witnesse. In those places, where A­ristotle beares sway, there all impiety rules and raignes; Witnesse Paris, Padua, Italy is witnesse. But yet let all impedi­ments [Page 126] to Pretie doe their worst, wee may defend Philosophy even to death, we may study pro­fane Arts, but so, as they bee referred to pious things. This was the minde of that good old man Master Richard Fox, whose Image is every day before our eys; This one­ly was his chiefest care. And howsoever hee fell into the error of the times, yet all his care was, that Religion, Piety, and god­ly Exercises should flou­rish and increase daily a­mongst us. Who, seeing hee hath left behind the [Page 127] expression of this his good desire rather in the Statutes of the house, than in our behaviour (which is to be lamented) there­fore hee seemes to speake to us all continually, as a father to his children in this manner.

Wheras I did heartily desire you young men, my sonnes by adoption, and brethren in Christ, to be brought up in the know­ledge of God, which is true blessednesse; lest the thorny cares of the world should choake the spring­ing seeds of godlinesse in you, I built an house for [Page 128] you, that so you being freed from carking cares, might wholy apply your studies. I provided nou­rishment for your bodies, and soules. I admonished you to be mindfull, that your place assigned you on earth was not perma­nent, but transitory, and that you have here no a­biding City, but must look after one in Heaven. I have ordained for you Professors of the tongues, and Arts, that so you at­taining to the knowledge of them in your younger yeeres, might be enabled to underrgoe weighty af­faires [Page 109] hereafter. I besee [...]ched you in the bowels of Iesus Christ, that you would devote all your studies to Gods glory. I have declared to the World, that this College of mine was founded for Divinitie sake. I have en­joyned the other Lectu­rers to designe all their labours, and studies to ac­commodate the Divine. I have earnestly exhorted, and enjoyned you all to strive, and contend with all possible diligence for the knowledge of Divi­nitie. I had good hope, that this Colledge would [Page 130] have sent forth many both excellently learned men, and sound Christi­ans, who being well sea­soned themselves with heavenly wisdom, would make the unsavory minds of others to relish pietie, bring the light of the Gospell to them that sit in darknesse, restore the sick to health, refresh the poore, strengthen the weak, direct them that go astray, and raise up the dead by the Gospell. But alasse my hopes are fru­strate; my labours are all in vaine; yea, so short of arriving at the desired ha­ven, [Page 129] that they are over­whelmed with a tempest in the very mid-way. That Origen, when he [...] taught profane learning to the Heathens at Alexan­dri [...], had such good suc­cesse in teaching of Rhe­torique, by sometimes in­terlacing Examples and Sentences of Godlinesse, that many of them were converted to Christiani [...]ty. I trust, Christians are not made impious by your Expositions of Mo­rall Philosophy in Ox­ford; but I am sure you corrupt weake Schollers with your Epicurean li­centiousnesse [Page 130] of life. Thus the streams, which should refresh the dry soules of poore wretches, that the plants of piety might spring apace, are quite dried up in the very foun­tain; so the fruit is perish­ed in the blossome, the Corne is crushed in the blade, before it can come to a true ripenesse, and be fit for food. For what o­ther thing, did that grace­lesse Apostate Iulian pra­ctise, when hee laboured to extirpate Christian Re­ligion out of the World, th [...]n command, that such opinions as opposed Chri­stian [Page 131] piety should be pub­liquely taught, and defen­ded in Schooles, that so the younger sort might loathe and distaste Christianitie quite. Impious likewise was the practice of that Heathenish Tyrant Ma­ximinus, who caused such points, as were contrarie to syncere godlinesse, to be expounded to the hearers, and to be learned without book, yee that professe the Name of Christ, do yee think, yee have done very well, when yee have by your Declamations op­posed the blasphemous errours of the Gentiles, [Page 132] (which Basil ab [...]orreth once to mention) and yet you still uphold the base opinions (as Chrysostome calls them) of Aristotle.

O c [...]rva in terris animae, & coelestium inanes.
You groveling Souls on earth that take delight,
Of heavenly matter void, & empty quite.

What madnesse hath so infatuated your senses, that yee suck poyson out of the Philosophers, con­vert helps into hinderan­ces, em [...]race vanity for [Page 133] verity, take the dregs, when you may have the finer stuffe? Do yee pro­fesse Christ in the Church in words, and Aristotle in the Schools in good ear­nest, and Epicurus your lives and actions? What a shame is it, that may be verified of you, which Ambrose said of the Ar­rians, They have forsaken an Apostle, and followed Aristotle. Why doe yee waste good houres about trifles, divine wits about noxious things, and con­sume that precious time, which should be spent in History, Oratory, and [Page 134] Philosophy (but especi­ally in sacred matters, wherby Truth and God­linesse might be promo­ted) and lie [...]aking in the filthy puddles of doting silly men? Do yee thinke I was ever so sottish, as to forbid yee the imitation of Lyranus, and Hugo (patternes for Divines) in interpreting the Scrip­tures, or did the same I ever propose such Scums, as Stannihursts Logicke, Paulus Venetus his Ana­lyticks, Niphus his To­picks or Donatus his E­thicks to be once medled withall of young Stu­dents? [Page 135] Does not my Pi­cture put yee in minde to what end yee were cho­sen Schollars of this house, what yee ought to ayme at, and to what pur­pose ye should designe all your endevours? Are yee not d [...]ily stirred and inci­ted (like so many Be [...]) to dispose all your hony ex­tracted out of the flowres of Truth to Gods glory? Are yee not convinced in the judgements of those holy men EUSEBIUS, Saint Augustine, Lactan­tius, Iustine Martyr, and the rest of the Fathers, who have with so great [Page 136] industry, and exquisite knowledge plucked up by the roots, and trodden under foot the false opini­ons of Philosophers, and Aristotle? Are yee not sa­tisfied with the authoritie of the Later [...]n Councell, of so many Bishops, so many learned men, and choice Cardinalls, who, (to the end, that Christi­ans might in their tender yeers be informed in true opinions) have most straightly charged, that the weaknesse of the light of Nature should be made knowne, laid open, and often pressed in Audito­ries? [Page 137] What is in you or any of you (young men) unlearned in comparison of so many aged men, and so many Fathers renow­ned both for Learning & Pietie, that yee should account your selves wiser than they, either in trai­ning up such as yee▪ in­struct, or sharper-witted in understanding what ye reade, and that those points, which they con­demned in Aristotle con­cerning Nature and Man­ners, as false and foolish, yee should censure to be unjustly condemned, and approve them by your [Page 138] absurde Distinctions? Have I therefore erected Corpus Christs Colledge for Divines that Aristotle might have moe follow­ers, and my Saviour no pious servants? Have I therefore con [...]erred so large benefits upon you▪ that yee should in your speeches pre [...]erre ungod­ly and unprofitable be­fore good and wholsome matters, mans glory be­fore Gods glory, the in­fernall gods before the most mightie God? Have I therefore ordained that famous man Ludovicu [...] Vives to be your Lectu­ [...]er, [Page 139] who taught you in his life time by admoni­tions, and after his death by his writings, how the corrupted Arts might be thoroughly purged and clensed? And are ye now so silly (young men) as to leave Viands for Acorns, Trees for Chips, and with the Dog return to his vo­mit, and with the Swine to wallowing in the mire? It was my desire, and I enjoyned you to observe it, that such as were sound should not be corrupted, but the bad should be di­rected, the ignorant shold be instructed, and not the [Page 140] capable made fools, nor to regard what doting Philosophers dreamed of, but what true things were comprised in the Arts. Is not the flesh of it self raging enough, for­ward enough to defecti­on, prone to naughtines, and flexible to every kind of vice, unlesse yee [...]o­ment, and feed it with [...]u­ell [...]etched from Philoso­phers, to inflame the sparks of impietie, and so adde fire to fire? ye think your selves not able e­nough to heare Aristotle, but yee are to heare Christ. Shake off this [Page 141] drowsines, trample upon prophane things, be wise in heavenly things, search out the truth, reverence godlinesse; and that not lazily, but earnestly, with all your industry, and with your whole heart, night and day, at home and abroad, privatly, and publikely. The violent [...]ay hold of the kingdome of Heaven. Not the sloth­full, but the runners get the Crowne. Hee that knows not Christ knows nothing. True Religion is true Blessednesse. Let no man deceive himself; lear­ning without godlinesse [Page 142] is poyson. Whom it pos­ssesseth, it puffs up, whō it puffs up it kils. The most glorious God enlighten your mindes with the brightnesse of his grace; that yee may alwaies be mindfull of that account yee are to give to the se­vere Iudge not onely of wicked works, but of idle words; and let go the tri­fling curiosities of worth­lesse men, the glittering s [...]btilties of Philosophers, the apish toyes of Sophi­sters, & [...]ooleries of Dun­sists; but lay hold on true and proficient Learning, wherewith yee being ex­quisitely [Page 143] furnished, and with Piety adorned may at length bring honour to God, salvation to your selves, and be helpfull to others. These things sure­ly that pious olde man (most respected young men) doth daily speake unto us, though not in words, yet to the same ef­fect in his desires▪ Which if you carefully consider, I beseech you all in the presence of the Lord (be­fore whose dreadfull Ma­jestie, their consciences that reject saving know­ledge shall one day tremble and quake) that yee [Page 144] abuse not your own, and others excellent wits. Ye that teach, and yee that are taught, be diligent, the one in delivering, the o­ther in receiving conveni­ent, not impertinent; ne­cessary, not frivolous; profitable, not triviall things. [...]ime posteth a­way; the arts are difficult; life is short; error is dan­gerous; trifles are hurtful, truth is precious. Christ is the Marke. Let them, that know not true wise­dome, enquire after it; and let them that know it, ex­presse it in their speeches; lest others contemne wis­dome [Page 145] before they know it; and they themselves never attaine to a true, but a false wisdome to no purpose.

Dixi.
FINIS.

Imprimatur

Thomas Wykes.

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