schools in grievous breaches that have been made in them, when any of the precious servants of God have been taken away from hence, others have stood up in their steads and have made up the breaches comfortably, as it was sometimes said, in the like case, that the sun hath set and yet no night followed. Is it not so, O ye children of my people?

4. Consider that this makes for the continuance of the Church and propagation of religion to after ages. For this was always found true, that where the vision fails, there the people will be made naked: Pro. 29, 18, They will be naked congregations, and naked souls, and naked families, and naked posterities. Naked of what? Naked of the righteousness of Christ which is put on by faith, and comes by hearing, and the shame of this nakedness will appear to God and man; naked of the Christian armour to defend themselves from spiritual enemies. And where schools have been put down or ceased, there churches have been unprovided, and religion hath decayed, and great ignorance and errors have succeeded in after ages; but on the contrary, this course of the instruction of youth is the means to provide for present and future times. And why do men plant orchards, or preserve the breed of the best cattle, but to provide for future times? But is not the pure religion of more weight, and the providing for the souls of posterity to the world's end? This is another benefit of worth; is it not, beloved, etc.?

4. Let the separation consider this, some of whom are averse to schools of learning: that schools are available to raise up Nazarites and to further an holy separation, which is commanded unto Christians: 2 Cor. 6, 16. Is it not so, beloved, etc.?

Consider how the sons of Belial, papists and heretics, they compass sea and land to support and spread and fortify the synagogue of Satan, the dens of devils, and suburbs of hell? Should not the glory of God and the salvation of souls be dearer unto us than their destruction and condemnation is to them? All these things should forward our thankfulness to God for these mercies. But now it is not a verbal thankfulness that will serve our turn (that would be gross hypocrisy), but it must be really expressed towards the education of youth and encouragement of the ministry and the propagation of the Gospel.

The reality of your thankfulness, let it be expressed in your future care: 1. To do (if it be in your power) as Hezekiah did: 2 Chron. 30, 22, 'That spake to the heart of all the Levites, that taught the good knowledge of the Lord.' Yea, do as Nehemiah did: Chap. 13, 11, See that sufficient portions be allotted and contributed unto them.

2. Do as Jehosaphat did: 2 Chron. 19, 8, Reach forth thine hand to send Levites into the blind and dark places of the country.

3. Be at the cost to train up thy towardly children in good literature. Parents are commanded to train up their children: Ephes. 6, 4, In putting understanding and instruction into them; as if children were like brute beasts without it.

4. In relieving the sons of the prophets and the college as Elisha did: 1 Kings 4, 34, In setting up of free schools' as the Lord enables you.

5. If ye be poor, yet pray for prosperity and means of education, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and that Bethel, the house of God, may not be turned into Bethaven, the house of iniquity; that schools of learning be not poisoned, or the fountains corrupted.

USE IV. This point may serve for information to teach us that schools of learning are approved and appointed of God, and of great importance for the benefit of God's people. Seeing that the Lord works with, and blesseth this means, for the laying up of provision, and making of supplies for the work of the ministry, and the Lord here reckons it up as the chiefest of all the blessings mentioned. And this was always one way (even when there were extraordinary prophets) of raising up of prophets, etc. And there is much more need of schools now, when those extraordinary prophets are wanting.

Question. What ground is there in the Scripture for schools of learning? Answer. Give me leave to show this as a matter called by many into question in these days.

Reasons for Schools of Learning.

Now the text and the explication thereof before, shows that the Lord did approve of them in the days of the Old Testament;15 that is the intent of the frequent mentioning of the sons of the prophets; that is, their scholars that were trained up under them. Besides 2 Kings 22, 14, there is mention of a college (where Huldah, the prophetess, and no doubt many others nurtured in a way of learning lived), and the Hebrews have an usual word whereby they call their schools (Jeshibah), a company of scholars that sit together to be taught; and Mat. 2, 12, the master and scholar is made mention of. Now in the New Testament John Baptist had scholars: John 1, 28; so the Pharisees had their scholars: Mat. 22, 15, 16. Paul was Gamaliel's scholar: Acts 22, 3. There was a synagogue of learned men disputing with Stephen: Acts 6, 9. So there was a school at Corinth: Acts 19, 8. Timothy was Paul's scholar: 2 Tim. 3, 14. But the example of our Saviour, Christ, is above all, that kept a school, first of His twelve disciples, then of the seventy disciples: Luke 10, that He also sent forth to preach the Gospel.

Yea, there is a most clear and express commandment that Paul gives to Timothy: 2 Tim. 2, 2, He saith the things that thou hast heard of me before many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.' Where we see that Timothy had many school-fellows that are called witnesses, and also that Timothy is commanded to teach others. So it concerns such as God enables to teach them that may be teachers of others, to instruct them in the things of God.

Objections to Schools of Human Learning. 16

But now it will be very needful upon this occasion for us to consider what weight there is in the objections that divers in these days have printed against them.

Objection: 1. Mr. Dell, in his answer to Mr. S. Simpson, allows schools of the prophets wherein Christian religion is taught, but against, schools of human learning; this is that, that makes them Anti-Christs, seeing they are contrary to, and do oppose Christ; 'this makes the universities stews of AntiChrist, houses of lies, and to stink before God with most loathsome abomination, etc.', with a multitude of other reproachful terms which Luther and others have loaded popish universities withal.

Answer. 1. I do much desire that the opposers of schools and universities would speak plainly what they mean by human learning, then we should

easily come to some conclusion. Therefore, let this distinction be premised: that human learning may either be taken for all that learning that the heathen authors or philosophers have delivered in their writings; or else all other arts besides theology, as they call physics, ethics, politics, etc., take in also the grounds of languages, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.

Now in the former sense, if Mr. D. do mean by human learning, all that learning that the heathen men have uttered out of the light of nature, it will be a great oversight to pass such a sentence upon it. 1. Because we find in Scripture some testimonies out of human writers, as Tit. 1, 12; Acts 17, 28; 1 Cor. 15, 23, etc., which the Spirit of God would not have alleged, if their writings had been utterly unlawful to read.

2. There are certain principles of truth written, even in corrupt nature, which heathen authors have delivered unto us, that do not cross the holy writ: 1 Cor. 11, 14, Doth not nature itself teach you, etc.; and it cannot be denied that all truth, whosoever it be that speaks it, comes from the God of truth, as He is called several times. And who can deny but that there are found many excellent and divine moral truths in Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, Seneca, etc., and to condemn all pell-mell, will be an hard censure, especially to call universities Anti-christs, for reading of them. Besides, they have treated of the works of God most excellently in many places, and the works of God ought to be declared by parents to their children: Psal. 78, 2–6. Besides, they have delivered many excellent sayings of God, and have attested many Scripture histories, as might be showed by several instances out of Justine, Tacitus, etc., and Mr. D. is not ignorant of them. Shall all these be thrown away as anti-christian or as lies?

Objection. But they have much profaneness and filthiness in them, and, besides, they are made idols of in our universities, when as ipse dixit, and their authority goeth for current, as Scripture itself amongst them.

Answer. But 1. All heathenish writers have not such profaneness in them. 2. Those that have, let them be condemned and abhorred, and let not youth be poisoned by them. 3. Let God be true and every man a liar, and let not man, especially any heathen, be deified, or his authority be accounted on, or go cheek by jowl with the speaking in the Scripture. This is indeed to be abhorred wheresoever it is received, but abusus non tollit

usum.

(2.) But now if human learning be taken in the second sense, for all those arts that are commonly taught in universities, as physics, ethics, politics, economics, rhetoric, astronomy, etc., or also for learned tongues of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, etc.

1. I will be bold to affirm that these in the true sense and right meaning thereof are theological and Scripture learning, and are not to be accounted of as human learning. For who can deny that the first and second chapters of Genesis, and many chapters in Job, and the Psalms, and divers other places in holy Scripture, do afford excellent and sure grounds for natural philosophy, and a just system thereof, which Mr. Zanchy, Daneus, and divers other eminent divines have opened and declared unto us?

And where are there to be found such ethical, political, or moral precepts, as are to be found in holy Scriptures; or such principles for the ordering of our lives, families, or common weals? let any man declare unto us. And

where are there such high strains of all sorts of rhetorical tropes and figures to be found in any author, as there are in the writings of the prophets and apostles? And who can imagine but that the best and surest chronology in the world is to be found in holy Scriptures, upon which all the computation of times in all ages of the world depends?

Admissions in favor of Schools of Learning.1 •

2. Let all judicious men consider what Mr. Dell grants, though he speaks so much against human learning. I will relate his own words, because his books are in few hands, and they that have them build much upon his judg ment. He speaks thus in his treatise of the reformation of learning:

"1. I conceive it meet that the civil power or chief magistrate should take great care of the education of youth, as one of the greatest works that concerns them, and one of the worthiest things they can do in the world, insomuch, that what the youth now is, the whole commonwealth will shortly be. "2. To this end it is meet that schools (if wanted) be erected through the whole nation, and not only in cities and great towns, but also (as much as may be) in lesser villages; and the authority of the nation take great care that godly men especially have the charge of greater schools; and that the magistrate afford to this work suitable encouragement.

"3. That in cities and greater towns, where are the greater schools and the greater opportunities to send children to them, they teach them also the Latin and Greek tongues, and Hebrew also, which ought to be had in great account with us, for the Old Testament's sake.

"4. It may be convenient, also, that there be some universities and colleges for instructing in the knowledge of the liberal arts, beyond grammar and rhetoric; as in logic, which may be of good use in human things, if reason manage that art of reason. But the mathematics especially are to be had in good esteem in universities, as arithmetic, geometry, geography, and the like, which as they carry no wickedness in them, so are they besides very useful in human societies, and the affairs of this present life. There may be also in the universities and colleges allowed the study of physic and the law, etc.

"5. Why the universities and colleges should be at Cambridge and Oxford, I know no reason; and we judge it most prejudicial to the common good of the commonwealth that these two universities should make a monopoly of human learning to themselves.

"Doubtless it would be more suitable to a commonwealth, and more advantageous to the good of all the people, to have universities or colleges, one at the least in every great town or city in the nation, as in London, York, Bristow, Exeter, Norwich, and the like. And for the state to allow to these colleges an honest and competent maintenance for some godly and learned men to teach the tongues and arts under a due reformation."

Thus much Mr. Dell. By which it appears that multitudes are deceived concerning this. As if Mr. D. did utterly condemn universities or schools of learning, that which is called human learning, seeing that there is no art or tongue studied or taught in colleges, but he allows (though with caution) and also he desires there were more schools, colleges, and universities than there are. Briefly, Mr. Dell's project is this, and so far to be

allowed-to put down heathenish schools (where there be any such) and to erect Christian, as himself speaks, page 19, in his answer to Mr. Simpson. Objection: But there is no necessity of schools or universities or any human learning to teach men divinity, or to make able preachers of the Gospel. The teaching of the Spirit of God alone is sufficient, which Mr. Dell proves by the examples of our Saviour Christ and His apostles, seeing Christ Himself had only the unction of the Spirit: Isa. 61, 1-4; Luke 4; Mat. 13, 54, 55. Besides, when He would send forth preachers into all the world, He chose fishermen, publicans, tent-makers, plain men, and of ordinary employment in the world, and only put His Spirit upon them: Acts 2, 17. This argument is much stood upon by Mr. Horne and Mr. Crandon against Mr. Baxter. Answer. 1. It is a marvelous mistake to reason from our Saviour Christ and His apostles to these times; for our Saviour received the Spirit not by measure: John 3, 24; and the apostles had the miraculous and visible and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed on them: Acts 2. So the reason will stand thus: If our Saviour Christ and His apostles without other learning, by the miraculous and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, were enabled and furnished sufficiently for the ministry: then other ministers in after times (that have no such extraordinary gifts) need no other learning, but the unction of the Spirit; as if he should say, if Aholiab and Bezaleel were filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom, and in knowledge, and all manner of workmanship to devise cunning works (as they were: Exod. 31, 3, 4), then no man need to be an apprentice to learn any mechanical trade, seeing the teaching of the Spirit is sufficient for any cunning work. Who is there that would not account this reasoning ridiculous? Surely if Mr. Dell had not excluded logic and reason out of divinity he never would have made such collections. It is much like his reasoning in another sermon of his: The Scripture saith that Christ shall baptize with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, therefore there is no baptism with water to be used or to be in force. But, forsooth, whatever he saith, ye must expect no reason from him, ye must take all from him as dictates of the Spirit; and so all ordinances in the Church that the Spirit hath appointed, the Spirit shall also overthrow. Yea, I have no reason why Mr. Dell, or any other believer, upon this ground, may not make another Scripture, for if the same Spirit that indicted or penned the Scripture be in the same or the like measure in Mr. Dell or other believ ers as it was in the holy men of God and penmen of the Scripture, then what Mr. Dell and any other believers write or say is of equal authority with the canonical Scripture. So, Mr. Dell and every believer is made a Pope, that cannot err, etc. But here I will stop and spare.

2. I affirm, that the Lord Jesus and His apostles were learned, and beyond that which is attainable by ordinary teaching. For our Saviour it is said: Mat. 13, 54, 55, 'Jesus came into His own country and taught them in the synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, whence hath this man this wisdom'; and John 7, 15, 'The Jews marvelled at the teaching of our Saviour, saying, how knoweth this man letters (or learning), having never learned them?' Therefore, it is certain that our Saviour had learning, though never trained up therein, and also, that learning and teaching is the ordinary way to attain to learning, yea, such learning as our Saviour manifested in His ministry (as the Jews conceived). So I may say of the apos