A treatise of the necessity of humane learning for a Gospel-preacher shewing the use of I. Languages, II. Rhetoric, III. Logic, IV. Natural philosophy, V. Moral philosophy, VI. History, VII. Chronology, VIII. Arithmetic, IX. Geometry, X. Astronomy, XI. Geography, and the benefits of learning in all ages : also this question is determined, whether grace be essential to a minister of the Gospel? / by Edward Reyner ...

SECT. VII. Testimonies concerning Learning.

LEarning hath been highly esteemed, * 1.1 and much commended by the ancient Fa∣thers, and all the Christian Reformed Churches, and by the most learned, ortho∣dox, godly, judicious Modern Divines, and by others also, for the necessity, commodity, and excellency thereof.

Luther speaks thus, * 1.2 —Vehementer & toto coelo errare censeo, qui Philosophiam, & Naturae cognitionem, inutilem putant Theo∣logiae. I make account they err exceeding∣ly, who think Philosophy, and the knowledge of Nature, useless to Divinity. —And in another place he saith, * 1.3 Ego persuasus sum sine literarum peritia prorsus stare non posse sinceram Theologiam; sicut hactenus ruen∣tibus & jacentibus literis miserrime & ce∣cidit & jacuit. Quin video, &c. I am per∣swaded, that pure (or sincere) Divinity can in no wise stand without the Skill of Learn∣ing:

as hitherto Learning salling and ly∣ing, it (scil. Divinity) hath most misera∣bly both faln and lain. Yea (saith he) I see there was never a remarkable revelation of the Word of God made, but first, as by Baptists, Forerunners of it, he prepared a way by Tongues and Learning, rising and flourishing.

In his Book of the Institution of Chil∣dren Luther thus commends the Tongues, * 1.4 —Vaginarum vice sunt Linguae, in quibus Gladius ille Spiritus, &c. —Arcae sunt, &c. The Tongues are as it were the Scabbards, in which the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, is sheathed. They are the Chests, or Cases, which keep this precious thing, this noble Jewel. The Storehouses, out of which a Preacher may fetch Gospel-provi∣sion. The Cups, wherein we carry about this wholesom Potion: and the Baskets, in which the loaves with the fishes, and the very fragments are kept, that they be not lost. He adds, * 1.5 — Quanquam & nobis ob∣scurum non est, Spiritu Dei omnia prorsus fieri; tamen nisi suppetias mihi tulissent Linguae, per hoc quod literarum sacrarum certo & infallibili me constabilissem intel∣lectu, sane priore in salebra misero mihi cum inimicis Evangelii etiamnum haeren∣dum foret. In which, and the following

words he declares, That if he had not been helped out by the Tongues, he had still stuck where he was, with the Ene∣mies of the Gospel, in the mire of Popery: and in pag. * 1.6 445. he seriously bewails it, that he had not read more Poets and Histo∣rians.—Quanta nunc ducor poenitentia, ob non plures & Poetas & Historiographos a me lectos.

Melancthon, * 1.7 in his Epistle before this book of Luther's, delivers himself thus, —Linguas profecto praecidi oportet iis, qui pro concionibus passim a literarum studiis imperitam juventutem dehortantur. Nam admissa Barbarie, &c. They deserve (saith he) to have their Tongues cut out, who dehort youth from the study of learning. For we see that when Barbarism hath been admitted, Religion hath been weakned. And I greatly fear lest things come to the same pass, except we with all our might defend learning, that most excellent gift of God.

Quantum Ratio dat Homini (saith Casau∣bon) tantum Literatura dat Rationi, * 1.8 Religio Literaturae, & Religioni Gratia. What Reason doth give to a Man, * 1.9 that doth Learning give to Reason, Religion to Learning, and Grace to Religion.

Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs gives this te∣stimony

to Learning. * 1.10 There is (saith he) a great delusion in many mens hearts, that makes them think it to be half Popery to give any respect to learning. Although the abuse of learning hath done much evil, (against that much hath been, and may be said) yet I dare avow this, that never, since the beginning of the world, could a man be found to speak against learning, but an ignorant man. Neither is it like, nay I may aver, it is impossible, that any but such will be found to the end of the world. Learn∣ing hath so much of God in it, that it never had, nor will have any enemy, but ignorance.

Dr. Rainolds saith, * 1.11 Humane Learning is a noble gift of God, and a great honor and ornament to the most excellent men. All Secular Learning is the knowledge of God's works, aeternae veritatis particula, a small emanation from eternal verity. Phi∣losophical and Mathematical Learning is the knowledge of his works of Creation: Historical and Political lea••ning, the know∣ledge of his works of Providence: Moral, Oeconomical, and Civil learning is the knowledge of those remainders of his image and law, which are left in the mind of men for their direction and conviction: Grammatical, Rhetorical and Logical learn∣ing

is the knowledge of the use of that Reason, which God giveth us for impart∣ing our minds, and evidencing our concep∣tions one unto another.

—In regard of the Church and Truths of Religion, learning is useful as an Hand∣maid, in a way of attendance thereupon, and subserviency thereunto.

Dr. * 1.12 Gauden saith, The excellent Gifts of all sorts of good learning are as the string to the bowe, and as feathers to the arrows of Truth; herewith Satan hath found himself much galled, hampered and chained.

—Learning is a Glass, wherein the fair fa∣ces and beauty of Religion and Reason are best represented.—It is an intellectual beauty, and a mean of knowing something daily more excellent in the Creature, or Creation, then it did before.

Pitsaeus saith, * 1.13 Homines quo magis igna∣ri, & a bonis literis & disciplinis alieni, &c. The more men are ignorant and e∣stranged from all Arts and Sciences, the nearer they come to the life of beasts and savages. For unless the powers of the mind (by which we are distinguished from brutes) be by liberal Sciences ordered and modified, all their vertue will degenerate, not only into a likeness to, but into a de∣gree

of rudeness beyond beasts.—That of the Poet is true,

—Didicisse fideliter artes Emollit mores, nec sinit esse feros.

Sigismund the Emperor (as some re∣late) was much affected, that neither he, * 1.14 nor any of his Courtiers, or Counsellers, were able (at the Council of Constance) to answer a foreign Embassador in the Latine Tongue: therefore he began to learn La∣tine when he was old. — And when some of his Nobles, that had no learning, (and therefore hated it) disdain'd that he pre∣ferr'd some men of mean degree before them, meerly for their learning; he an∣swered that he had good reason to honor Scholars, as those that were singularly graced and gifted by God. Knights and Lords, said he, I can make in a day as many as I list, but Scholars God only can make, from whom cometh every good and perfect Gift.

It's true, many in these days decry Learn∣ing, and lay it as low as they can, as un∣necessary, if not dangerous; and they dis∣esteem and dishonour the learned. But are they not (divers of them at least) fana∣tic persons, who speak evil of the things they know not, both Tongues and Scien∣ces? or do not some of them sometimes

use it, (or rather abuse it, as I have heard) even when they speak against it? and dis∣commend others wares, to get the better price for their own silly stuff? Usually they, that speak against learning, decry Reason (which they may as well do, see∣ing learning is but the improvement of reason) when they are not able to speak one word of sense against it, without its help: Just as those that defame Logic must be beholding to it, to frame their Arguments for them? But such men, by disclaiming reason, tie themselves to op∣pose learning without any reason, and so disoblige others regard to what they say. They are like those Tradesmen, who keep their shops dark on purpose, that they may better put off their bad wares. These are Fauxes (as one calls them) with dark lanthorns to blow up all. * 1.15

It is accounted the character of wicked men to hate learning, and design the ru∣ine of it: and some observe, that they never read in any Histories of any, but evil men, that were opposers of it.

Enemies to learning are no friends to the learned, (for they ordinarily bespatter and vilifie them) nor to Religion, (as hath been declared) no nor to Reason, or to natural gifts and abilities, which are much

improved, heightned, and perfected there∣by. For what are Arts but reason refined, rightned and ripened; or well regulated and well ordered, as far as the subjects and capacity of them doth extend.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Argum. 6.
• * 1.2

  Luther. Epist. Tom. 1.
• * 1.3

  Epist. Tom. 2.
• * 1.4

  Tom. 7. pag. 442. a.
• * 1.5

  Pag. 444.••.
• * 1.6

  Pag. 445. a.
• * 1.7

  Melancthon.
• * 1.8

  Casaubon.
• * 1.9

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• * 1.10

  Burtough's Heart-Divisi∣ons upon Hosea 10.2. p. 88, 89.
• * 1.11

  Rainolds in his Funeral Sermon for Mr. Lang∣ley in Acts 7.22.
• * 1.12

  Gauden.
• * 1.13

  Pitsaeus in Pro∣cemio Relat. retum Anglic. pag. 23.
• * 1.14

  Bucholcer. Chronol. Anno 1437.
• * 1.15

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