2. With Hu

How the

Humane

before them all. For no true Believer is to keep Silence, when the Doctrine of the Gofpel is corrupted by the Doctrines of Men, or is to be modeft in this matter. Wherefore I was compelled to speak thus plainly to him, for his grofs Prevarication in the Things of God; and I am well fatisfied, in my Confcience, in the Discharge of my Duty, whatever fhall be the Cenfure of carnal Chriftians, who have no true Senfe of the Glory of Chrift's Gofpel, or of the Profit of his People, whom yet Chrift fo loved, as to lay down his Life, and to be crucified, for them.

Again, if it fhall offend any, that I deal thus mane Learn roundly against Humane Learning; Let them ing. know, that I am not against Humane Learning Author is for upon all accounts, but do allow Humane Learning Learning, & (fo it be sober and serious) in its own Place and how against Sphere, as well as other Humane Things: But I do oppofe it, as it is made another John Baptift, to prepare the Way of Chrift into the World, or to prepare the Worlds way to Chrift: And alfo, as Men make it neceffary for the true Knowledge of Scriptures; yea, the very Unction for the Miniftry.

it.

The great

And herein, according to the Grace of Christ, Mifchief of I both do and will contend against it for ever: SeeHumane ing Humane Learning mingled with Divinity, or mingled with the Gospel of Chrift understood according to Divinity. Ariftotle, hath begun, continued, and perfected

Learning

the Mystery of Iniquity in the outward Church. Wherefore I do in all Boldnefs appear for Christ the Wisdom of God, against Humane Learning the Wisdom of the World; knowing affuredly, that he is as very Antichrift, who opposes Chrift as the Wisdom of God, as he that oppofes him, as the Power and Righteousnefs of God: And Men may as well bring into the Church of God, another Righteousness than Chrift, and another

Power

Power than Chrift, as another Wisdom than Christ. Wherefore, as they who bring in Humane Righteoufnefs, that is, Civil or Moral Righteoufnefs, or any Works or Duties of Men for Righteoufnefs, into the Church of Chrift, they are true Antichrifts in fo doing; feeing herein they are contrary to, and do oppofe Chrift the Righteousness of God: And as they who bring in Humane Power, or the Secular Arm into the Church of Chrift, to do, or leave undone, to reward or punish, to promise or threaten, to encourage or difcourage by that, they are true Antichrifts in fo doing; feeing herein they are contrary to, and do oppofe Chrift the Power of God; fo alfo they that bring in Humane Wisdom, or the Learning and Philofophy of Men into the Church of Chrift, they also are true Antichrists in fo doing; for herein they are contrary to, and do oppofe Chrift, the Wisdom of God; for Chrift is, and is to be, the only Power, the only Wifdom, and the only Righteoufnefs in the Church of God; and he that brings in any other Power, Wisdom or Righteoufnefs, befides Chrift himself, that Man is in very deed Antichrift. And in this Matter alfo, it was neceffary that I fhould be bold for Christ against Antichrift.

3. Again, if any fhall be offended that I fpeak 3. With the thus freely against the Universities, which are of Universities. fuch honourable Efteem every where in the Nation, especially with the Ignorant and Vulgar People, and with Men of all Sorts, who have not the Eright Knowledge of Chrift and his Gospel (wherein are fo contained all the Treafures of Wisdom and Knowledge, that no part of this Treafury is left out thereof, to enrich Heathenish Philofophy withal, which by the Gospel is left as a defolate Thing, empty and deftitute of all true Wifdom and Knowledge) I fay, if any think that I

Men of un-have too deeply cenfured thefe Universities; let questionable Worth, and them know, that I have done in this Matter, but God inefs, as Wickliff, Hus, Luther, and feveral others, Holy have spoken freely of the Men of God, and happy Inftruments in the Univerfities, Hand of Christ, have done before me. As for Instance:

in former

times, as Wicklif

Wickliff terms the Universities, Caftra Cainisica, Cains Castles; Synagogas Sarance, the Synagogues of Satan, and affirms that they were never Ordained or Inftituted by Christ.

John Hus (or Otho Brunfelfins, if he fet out the Contents of the Chapters) calls them Satrapas Antichrifti, the Lieutenants of Antichrift.

Luther, in his Book Contra Ambrofium Catharinum, fhewing out of Daniel the Prophet, that Antichrift is Rex Facieram, the King of Faces, or Appearances, he affirms that the Universities are one of thofe Faces of Antichrift, and that they are very comly or fightly to look on, and yet indeed are a very Chaos and open Gate of Hell; and that in these the moft Choice Touth of Chriftian People are prostituted, and are caft imo the opon Throat of Hell; And that in thefe Ariftotle is read, whereby the Wits of Chriftian Touch are poffeffed and bufied with Humane and Heathenifh Learning; yea, are quite blinded and op preffed with it.

He faith alfo, That the Univerfities are the Woe, that the fifth Angel (mentioned Rev. 9.) brought проп the Earth: And that whoever it was that did first inftitute and confirm Univerfities, he was a Star fallen from Heaven to Earth: To wit, from the Gospel of Chrift to Humane Learning.

And in his Expofition on Pfal. 22. he calls the Universities the Mothers of Learned Men, the Gates of Hell, and faith, they are called (Schola, i. e. Ludi) Schools, that is, Plays, by a fatal Name ; feeing they make Sport with the Scriptures, and caft Lots upon them, [as upon the Garments of Chrift, every

One dividing to himself a Share of them,] according to his own Humane and Philofophical Apprehenfion. And he faith, that the Doctors of thefe Universities are by the fame Providence, called Doctors Scholaftici, i.e. Ludicri, vel Illuforii: School-Doctors, that is, trifling or May-game Doctors.

Again, he faith, thofe most glorious Mothers of Studies, the Universities, ftink before God with moft Loathfome Abomination.

These Universities are thofe Antichriftian Souldiers, who put a Reed into Chrift's Right Hand inEftead of a Scepter: and this Reed is Philofophy, that vain Deceit; or as the Apoftle elsewhere terms it, the Operation of Error: By which Philosophy (faith the) the unhappy People of Chrift began to be governed, that is, to be feduced, and to be led away from the Gofpel of God. And this vain Reed they put into his Right Hand, by preferring Learning before Godliness; faying, (according to their ufual manner of fpeaking) he is a Learned and Godly Man; hereby making Learning to take Place of Godlinefs. And yet this Philofophy is nothing but a weak Reed, which counterfeits a Scepter, rather than reprefents it, and fo is nothing but vain Deceit; for there is nothing propounded in fuch Doctrine, but Vanity and Lying, though under the Title of Knowledge and Religion.

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In a Word, he calls them Antichrifti Lupanaria, the Stews of Antichrist.

Omnes Scho

Scholaftica

Melanthon alfo terms the Universities, Domos Melanthon. mendacii, Honfes of Lies, and faith, it is manifeft, omnes the that they are all heretical by their School-Divinity, reticas, vel which all the Schools in Europe have received from Theolog the University of Paris, and are thereby infected arguit. Mewith Herefy; and he faith, the Students in the lant. in A Universities, are not the People of the Gospel, nor yet Mart. Lu of the Law, but are the People of Ariftotles Morals. ther.

pol. pro

And thus it is manifeft, that others have spoken freely and fharply against the Universities before now. And therefore wife and godly Christians will have no juft Cause to be offended at me, who have spoken in like Manner, having the fame Cause. Object. Now if any fhall object, that they all speak Obje&ion. against Popish Universities, and that our Universities are otherwife now, than they were then; and fo, there is not the fame Caufe to speak against them now, as there was heretofore.

Anfwer.

as formerly.

Anfw. To this I Anfwer, That though the outward form of grofs Popery be taken away from them (as alfo from the reft of the People of this Nation) God having put it into the hearts of the Civil Power to reject it, after the light of the Gospel had begun to fhine to them; yet are the The Univer-brains, heart, bowels, bones, marrow, finews fries the and blood of the Universities, the felf fame Now fame for as Heretofore; and though the Outfide of it hath fance, now paffed under a very little Change, yet the Inner parts of it remain as before, in the full strength of Antichrifts Kingdom, and that without any alte ration at all. For the felf fame Statutes of the Universities and Colledges ftill remain with them in force, which were at first given to them by their Popish Founders, through the help of Antichrift; and these Statutes are of fuch Authority with them, that they depart from the Rule of Chrifts Gofpel, to walk by the Rules of finful Men, for worldly Stipends and Rewards fake. Farther, the fame Philofophy or Heathenifm, and the fame School Divinity or Antichriftianifm, are yet inftil led into the Youth and Students, as were many hundred years ago, in the darkest times of Popery; and these things are all in the University Learning and Education; infomuch, that no Man is of any efteem and reckoning with them, know he the Gofpel of Chrift never fo foundly and truly, if he

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