The blovdy tenent, of persecution, for cause of conscience, discussed, in a conference betweene trvth and peace vvho, in all tender affection, present to the high court of Parliament, as the result of their discourse, these, amongst other passages, of highest consideration.

CHAP. CVII.

Peace.

ONe and the last branch (deare Truth) remaines concer∣ning Schooles.

The Churches (say they) much depend upon the Schooles, and the Schooles upon the Magistrates.

Truth.

I honour Schooles for Tongues and Arts: but the institu∣tion of Europes Universities,* 1.1 devoting persons (as is said) for Scho∣lars, in a Monasticall way, forbidding Mariage and Labour to, I hold as far from the mind of Iesus Christ, as it is from propagating his Name and Worship.

We count the Universities the Fountaines, the Seminaries or Seed-plots of all Pietie: but have not those Fountaines ever sent what streames the Times have liked? and ever changed their taste and colour to the Princes eye and Palate?

For any depending of the Church of Christ upon such Schooles, I finde not a little in the Testament of Christ Iesus.

I finde the Church of Christ frequently compared to a Schoole:* 1.2 All Beleevers are his Disciples or Scholars, yea women also, Acts 9. 36. There was a certaine Disciple or Scholar called Dorcas.

Have not the Universities sacrilegiously stole this blessed name of Christs Scholars from his people? Is not the very Scripture lan∣guage it selfe become absurd, to wit, to call Gods people, especially Women (as Dorcas) Scholars?

Peace.

Some will object, how shall the Scriptures be brought to ••ight from out of Popish darknesse, except these Schooles of Prophets convey them to us?

Truth.

I know no Schooles of Prophets in the New Testament, but the particular Congregation of Christ Iesus, 1 Cor. 14. And I que∣stion whether any thing but Sinne stopt and dried up the current of the Spirit in those rare gifts of tongues to Gods sons & daughters, ser∣ving so admirably both for the understanding of the Originall Scrip∣tures, and also for the propagating of the name of Christ.

Who knowes but that it may please the Lord againe to cloath his people with a spirit of zeale and courage for the name of Christ,* 1.3 yea and powre forth those fiery streames againe of Tongues and Prophecie in the restauration of Zion?

If it be not his holy pleasure so to doe, but that his people with daily study and labour must dig to come at the Originall Fountaines,* 1.4 Gods people have many wayes (besides the Universitie, lazie and Monkish) to attaine to an excellent measure of the knowledge of those tongues.

That most despised (while living) and now much honoured Mr. Ainsworth,* 1.5 had scarce his Peere amongst a thousand Acade∣mians for the Scripture Originalls, and yet he scarce set foot within a Colledge walls.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Universities of Europe a cause of universall sins & plagues, yet Schooles honourable for Tongues and Arts.
• * 1.2

  Christs church his Schoole, and all Belie∣vers Scholars.
• * 1.3

  Who knowes but God may againe powre forth the gifts of Tongues?
• * 1.4

  Tongues at∣tainable out of Oxford or Cambridge.
• * 1.5

  Mr. Ainsworth