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To the Judicious and Candid READER.
READER,
WHen I first pitcht my thoughts upon this Subject, I in∣tended only to give some brief Character of some Humanists, and some of the chief reformed Writers, but in the prosecution of my Design, meeting with divers Elogies and apt descriptions of some of the chief Popish Writers, I thought it not amiss to make the Work more general. A learned Divine inquired of me, when my Body of Divinity was coming forth, Whether I treated there of Religion, seeming to wonder, that many who publish∣ed Systemes of Divinity, said nothing of so usefull a Subject, whereabout also many Questions might be raised and discussed. I thereupon bethink∣ing with my self, that I might conveniently treat of it in this Book, accordingly made Religion and Learning the Argument of the two first Books, and those that were eminently Religious or Learned, are mentio∣ned according to the order of the Alphabet in the four following Books. But I take liberty therein by reason of the Alphabetical order, and be∣cause I could not so properly refer them to the second Book, to speak of several Bibles, Councels, Confessions, Proverbs, and the Talmud, in the letter of the Alphabet, whereto they belong, the knowledge thereof being helpfull to Schollers. Besides, where I speak of Charles the Great and the fifth, I also mention Charles the ninth, both because I met with an excellent Character of him in Thuanus, and also because he was a spe∣cial instance of Gods retaliating Justice, for shedding the bloud of Pro∣testants in the Parisian Massacre. I may perhaps also mention an Heretick that was not famous either for Learning or Piety. I thought good to ad∣vertise the Reader hereof, lest he should wonder else when he meets with these particulars. The first Book is concerning Religion, that it is, what it is, its Antiquity, the true and false Religions, the Reformed Religion, and some Questions about Religion are also discussed. The second Book is concerning Learning, its Excellentcy, Usefulness, of the Liberal Arts, the Languages, Universities. In the four last Books, my intention was to speak of such as were Zealous for the true Religion, or eminent for Learning, either as general Schollers, or peculiarly learned in any kinde.