C I6i°) Cod fincerely, and read the Scripture, and ina plain familiar manner, can teach the Catechittical points, andperfwade- duty and reprove vice : But as for Sermons in a methodical accurate way, as now ufed, anddefending the truth,and oppofing Heretics, and flopping the mouths of gainfayers, they mull needs be far below the Learned. But yet here- and there a Philofopher was converted ; and of thofe that had no filch Learning (then called fecular, and the Learning of the Gentiles) fome fi:wwere far better Learned than others in the facred Scriptures, and the cuftomes and Learning of the yews : And it was long before the- Chrillians had Schools and Academies oftheir own. That this was fo, appeareth. t.. In thereafonof the thing: For no- .. effect canexceed the total ca-ale. Therefore they that had not the in-- - fpirarions prophetical.,, or miraculous guifts, nor Academies and-Schools' . offecular Learning, nor fo much as Riches and leifure, but Poverty and perfccution and worldly troub'eand labour, werenot like-to have more-1 Learning than the holy Scriptures taught them. 2. And this appeareth by the forecited Canons.ofounfels, which forbad Paftors, ever almoll three . hundred years-after Chrift, to read the Gentiles books. By which the former'cuftome of the Church mayeafily be perceived. And alfo by abundance of reproaches which are call- upon fome Hereticks in the Ancients writings, for being too much skilled in Logick and other of theGentiles Learning. 3. And it appeareth by the parity of writers of the fecond and third Centuries. 4. And all() by the paucityoffamous Divines that are mentioned ira the Híftories ofthofe times. g. And above all by the plainnefs and fimplicityof thofe that are defcribed and of their writings. I fpeaknot in any contempt of them for this (perhaps we valrecomrñon learningnow too highly) But only to tell you the true Hiftoryof thofe times. No doubt but many poor men among us, (divers Weavers- and fomePlowmen, of the Church which I wasremoved from , for inftance) are able to pray, and teach aswell as moll of thofe who are by Eufebiur extolled as the famous Bithops of the fecond and third age; and towriteas Methodical, pious, weighty tra6rates, as any that were then written by men that neither converted with the Apolfles, nor had been-bred up in Philofophy: That.I fay not as Clemens Romanus himfelf, or Ignatius, -or Iren,ear, yea or Cyprians, Epiffles are. Yea, or as many ofthe ages,following; even as holy Macarius, Epherm, Cyrus, Synifius, (a Phiiofbpher) Iftdore. Pelu.. fiota, and many more have written lince, If this benót believed, how many Lay-men could Iname whohavewrittenmore accurately and ju- dicioully, and as faras the writings thew, aspioufly as any of thete? And that not only Learned Lay-men, but men that had neither-many- Languagesnor Philofophy. And ifthe books then written were very few, and of thole very few that were written by any bat Bifhops.or Phi - - lolopherss;.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=