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. I. Usefulness of Natural Philosophy declared, and proved.

PHilosophy is either

• 1. Natural, called Physics.
• 2. Or Moral, called E∣thics.

First, Natural Philosophy is of great use to a Minister of the Gospel. After the times of the Apostles the Church (as A∣retius saith) had always learned Doctors (or Teachers) ex Philosophorum Scholis trans∣latos: * 1.1 such were Justin Martyr, surnamed the Philosopher (in Platonicis disciplinis ad mira••ulum eruditus) Cyprian and Lactan∣tius. Origen, Chrysostom, Hierom were Phi∣losophers. Austin excelled herein; and writ divers Philosophical Pieces.

This is useful in two Respects:

I. To know the Natures, Properties, Ef∣fects, and Operations of all sublunary Crea∣tures:

1. Of the four Elements, as Fire, Air, Water, and Earth.

2. Of Meteors in the Air.

3. Of Minerals in the Earth.

4. Of all living Creatures: As,

1. Vegetatives; of all Trees, Plants, Herbs, Fruits, and Flowers, that grow out of the Earth. —the Kinds, Qualities, and Vertues of them.

2. Sensitives, or Animals; as of

• 1. All Birds in the Air.
• 2. Beasts of the Field.
• 3. All creepings things on the Earth.
• 4. And the Fishes in the Sea.

3. Rational Creatures; as of Spirits and Men.

Of

• Man's Body, the Fabrick, and all the Members of it.
• Man's Soul, the Essence, and all the Faculties of it, and their Operations.

II. To make a fit application of the Creatures (scil. of the Natures, Qualities and Effects of them) to spiritual uses, as the Holy Ghost directs us in the Scrip∣tures; which have much Philosophy in them; as Genesis, and other Books: and are full of Allusions to the Natures of all kinds of Creatures:

• Of Beasts, as Lions, Wolves, Goats, Sheep, Lambs.
• Of Fowls, as Doves, Eagles, Ravens.
• Of creeping things, as Serpents, Worms, Ants.
• Of Gnats, Flies, Locusts, Caterpillers.

Which we cannot make use of for our selves, nor teach or unfold to others, un∣less we have the knowledge hereof in some measure, which the study of Natural Phi∣losophy may much help us to.

This is needful for a Minister for seven Reasons.

Reas. 1. The knowledge of the Na∣ture of the Creatures is but the know∣ledge of God in the creatures: from his works of Creation and providence we may and should learn the power, wisdom, goodness and glory of God, (which Natu∣ral Philosophy may, through God's bles∣sing, much further us in) yea, the Deity of God, Rom. 1.20.

* 1.2 The subordination of end and means (which clearly demonstrate an intelligent Agent) in the works

1. Of Creation, especially in the fa∣brick of the bodies of Animals, and in the forming of souls:

2. Of Providence, is (as some learned men conceive) the clearest demonstration

of the existence of a God.

From hence, it is probable, Aristotle gathered and owned one first Cause, and Plato one God, and Cicero divine provi∣dence.

By understanding the utmost activity of Natural Agents we may be assisted in the knowledge, and setled in belief of the divine authority of the Scriptures, and of the Deity of Christ; both which are with much conviction proved by that Argu∣ment, which Mr. Baxter hath excellently managed in his Rest, part 2. page 215, &c. drawn from Miracles: the many and real miracles, with which the doctrine of the Scriptures, and the testimony of Christ and his Apostles concerning his Deity, were confirmed; since all miracles are the pro∣duct of divine power, and the righteous God will not seal and confirm a falshood. For seeing the Jews, and others, the ene∣mies of Christian Religion, do impiously object, that those miracles, which Christ wrought, were not above Nature, but performed through the exquisite know∣ledge of it by Natural means; what way is there to silence such objections, but an accurate search and inquiry into the Cau∣ses, Natures and Vertues of things, and the understanding how far their power and activity will extend?

Reas. 2. The knowledge of the Na∣tures of the Creatures was part of God's Image stamped on Adam at his creation, (& upon us all in him, as being in his loins) as appears by Adam's giving of Names to the Creatures according to their Natures presently, as Hebricians well know. See Calvin in Gen. 2.19. And Piscator in ver. 19, 20, 23. saith, Ante lapsum eximia fuit in homine cognitio rerum naturalium: quippe Adam animalibus sibi a Deo addu∣ctis, itemque adductae sibi mulieri, nomina ipsorum naturae convenientia imposuerit. Huc pertinet illud Pythagorae, qui dixisse fertur, Sapientem oportere fuisse hominem, qui primus nomina rebus imposuerit.

This knowledge Adam lost by his fall, for himself, and for us; and it must be reco∣vered now by observation, study and indu∣stry. To which Philosophy conduceth very much.

Reas. 3. Because a Minister should teach the people to read, understand, and make use of the books, not only of the Scriptures, * 1.3 but of the Creatures also; which presupposeth himself to be well read in both.

Reas. 4. Philosophy is a very pleasant study, and affords much benefit, satisfacti∣on, and delight to the mind of man, (which

ignorance herein deprives men of) and why not to a Minister of the Gospel?

Reas. 5. Good skill in Philosophy may make a Minister more fit and able to un∣derstand, discuss and determine some points of Divinity, (though not without the as∣sistance of God's Spirit) especially those that have a physical Term in them: as about the body of Christ. He that would de∣monstrate that not to be every where; or that Christ is not corporally present in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, must fetch his Arguments from the Nature and property of a Body, which are delivered in Physics. So about the freedom of the Will, which cannot be handled well, with∣out the knowledge of Natural Philosophy: which may also give some furtherance unto his coming to Christ, as it did to the wise men, * 1.4 who came from the East to Jerusa∣lem, being guided by the star, to seek and to adore Jesus Christ the new-born Savi∣our. These 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 were professed Philoso∣phers, great searchers of the depths of Nature. Why did they only follow the star which led them to Christ, when doubt∣less this light was visible unto many be∣side them? Because they knew it had more then Nature in it. Hence Bishop Hall infers, * 1.5 That no man is so apt to see the

star of Christ, as a diligent Disciple of Philosophy: that humane Learning well improved makes us capable of divine: but Philosophy without the star is but the wisp of error: and that God is the author of all knowledge, and would never have bestowed any Gift that should lead us away from him∣self.

Reas. 6. God sends us to the Creatures for Instruction in moral and spiritual du∣ties; now we are not capable of it, if we be not acquainted with their Natures. Thus he placeth an Ant in the chair to teach the sluggard wisdom. * 1.6 He sets the Ox and the Ass, (Esa. 1.3.) the Stork, Tur∣tle, Swallow and the Crane, (Jer. 8.7.) to read a Lecture to his people against dis∣regard of God, and non-observance of his dealings with them. Christ sends his Dis∣ciples to school to the Birds of the air, and to the Lilies of the field, to be taught Re∣liance upon the Providence of God, Mat. 6.26, &c.

Many other Lessons may be learn'd from the Creatures, if we know their Natures and properties. See instances hereof in the several sorts of Creatures in Alsted's The∣ologia Naturalis. * 1.7

Therefore if God hath made other be∣ings as Glasses (as One saith) to represent,

as his own excellency, so our duty; we may safely conclude he would have us look in them. Where God teacheth we must learn; and have an eye there, where the finger of God pointeth to us, scil. in his works: which because all men cannot stu∣dy and search into, it's necessary some should, namely Ministers, that declare them to others, as David did. The Crea∣tures will not read Ethics to him that hath no insight into Physics. Skill in Na∣turals may help to make good Morals.

Reas. 7. From Examples, which shew God to be the Author of Philosophy, and it to be of great use and excellency. That David was well acquainted with the works of Nature, as well as with that of Grace, may be gathered from divers passages in the Psalms: especially from Psalm. 104. (if that be his, as it seems to be, because it begins and ends as the former Psalm doth, which is his.) How often do we finde him contemplating the works of God, and admiring him in them?

Solomon was a great Philosopher, * 1.8 and full of humane, as well as of divine Learn∣ing. Therefore it is said, he spake, or dis∣coursed, of all kinds of Plants that grow out of the earth, from the Cedar to the Hyssop that springeth out of the wall.—He

spake also of Beasts, Fouls, of creeping things, and of Fishes.

Philosophy was part of that wisdom, which God gave unto him, and made him wiser then all men. Solomon's wisdom ex∣cell'd the wisdom of all the children of the East Country, * 1.9 who were reputed the wi∣sest in the world, Dan. 2.2. Such were the Chaldeans, and Arabian Philosophers and Astronomers,—and his wisdom ex∣cell'd all the wisdom of Egypt. The Egyptians were famous for wisdom and knowledge in all Sciences, * 1.10 Isa. 19.11, 12. Many famous Philosophers went to Egypt for increase of learning and wisdom. The wisest among the Grecians professed they had their grounds of Philosophy from the Egyptians. But some Authors conceive the Grecians Philosophy to have been but the Jews Cabala with a new Name, and that other Nations derived their Philoso∣phical knowledge from the Hebrews, espe∣cially the Phenicians, * 1.11 (who were their Neighbors, and with whom Abraham so∣journed) from whom Learning was by Cadmus carried to the Grecians, and re∣ceived from them by the Latines, and so spread into these Western parts of the world. Yea, it is probable that by means of Solomon's wisdom, and knowledge, Phi∣losophy

was improved, and Physiology flourished, even in Egypt, Arabia, Chaldea. For it is said, * 1.12 that there came of all peo∣ple to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all Kings of the earth, which had heard of it; especially from Egypt, because of his alliance with that King, having married his daughter; and from Arabia, because the Queen of Sheba came thence, who brought her hard Questions to him, and carried away his Resolutions. Thus must his knowledge needs be spread in those Countries, where being cherished it rai∣sed their fame, and invited those Grecians (who after proved the most eminent Phi∣losophers) to undertake long journeys in pursuit of Learning.

Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, Acts. 7.22. that is, in Philosophy, and in all the ingenuous and liberal Arts of the Egyptians.

Job (who is stiled the greatest of the sons of the East, Job 1.3.) and his friends were eminent for profound knowledge. Their discourse evinced their acquaintance with Philosophical, as well as Theologi∣cal knowledge.

God gave Daniel, * 1.13 and his three Associ∣ates, knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; that is, as Calvin saith, in

the liberal Arts, (not in Magical Arts) and in natural knowledge. Nebuchadnezzar commanded they should be taught the learning (and the Tongue) ver. 4. of the Chaldeans; that is, as some expound it, the knowledge of Natural, Moral, and Rational things. They were trained up, through God's providence, by their Chal∣dean Instructers, in commendable learn∣ing, scil. of Arts and Sciences, wherein they attained unto a greater perfection then any in so short a time, as the space of three years; and they were preserved from the corrupt and unlawful Arts the Chalde∣ans used; as Magic, Inchanting, Judi∣ciary Astrology, and such like. As they would not defile themselves with the King's meat, so they would not be cor∣rupted with the vain Arts of the Chalde∣ans, or the superstitious precepts of their Teachers. Daniel was the Master or su∣perintendent of the wise men in Babylon, Dan. 2.48, with 4.9.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Probl. loc. 151.
• * 1.2

  More's Anti∣dote against Atheism.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 19.
• * 1.4

  Mat. 2.1, 2.
• * 1.5

  Contempl. l. 1. The Sages and the Star.
• * 1.6

  Prov. 6.6.
• * 1.7

  ☞
• * 1.8

  1 King. 4.33.
• * 1.9

  Mat. 2.1. 1 King. 4.30.
• * 1.10

  Annot.
• * 1.11

  Phoenicia is sometimes put for Canaan.
• * 1.12

  1 King. 4.34.
• * 1.13

  Dan. 1.17.