furnished with human learning. In this sense Beda calleth Prudentius the most noble Schoolman of the Spaniards,* whom it is like, in the severity of your judgment, you would have dispraised; and Gennadius, in the Catalogue of famous writers, reckoneth up Musæus, Julianus, Eucherius, and divers others, amongst the Schoolmen; that is, amongst the chief professors of School eloquence. Saint Jerom affirmeth of himself, that many things in Divinity, he handled with School ornament; and of St. Paul he saith, that when he preached at Athens, upon occasion of the inscription of the Altar to the unknown God, he handled it with a scholastical kind of elegancy. Is this, then, that which so much offends you? Was it an ornament in these Fathers, and many others, and is it a blemish in Mr. Hooker? But peradventure it is the new and later kind of School interpreting that you mislike; whose method is Philosophical disputing, made of Aristotelian learning; this sprang up about some four hundred and odd years past, in the time of Lotharius the second, Emperor of Rome; who, recovering out of darkness the Roman Laws, caused them publicly to be read, and to be expounded by divers Writers; by this means Divinity began to wax cold, until by imitation of these men, certain devout Monks, and others, undertook the like in expounding the holy Scripture; by which means even until this day, there remaineth in the Schools ten orders of their usual expounding; by Concordance, History, Postil, Question, Lecture, Compendium or Abridgment, Sermon, Metre, Meditation ;§ all which, no doubt of it, in your opinion are esteemed unlawful and unprofitable: now, many that were excellent in this kind, the Church both knoweth how to use with great profit, and in recompense of their labour, hath given them titles, with much honour. Thus, Alexander Hales, who made his Summe, that excellent work, by commandment of Innocentius the fourth, was called "the fountain of life,"|| because of that lively knowledge that flowed from him: he was Master to Bonaventure, a scholar not inferior to himself, of whom he was wont to say, That in Bonaventure he thought Adam sinned not; meaning for that illumination, which was in him (and doubtless there was much in him) as though he had not been darkened by the fall of Adam; and therefore the Church called him "the Seraphical Doctor." To these Aquinas was not inferior, who came so near unto St. Austin, that some thought he had all his Works by heart, and by a common proverb it was spoken, that the soul of St. Austin dwelt in Aquinas; in whom above all the rest, four contrarieties were said to excel; abundance, brevity, facility, security in respect whereof, he gained the title to be called : * In lib. De Arte metr. nobilissimum Hispanorum Scholasticum. § Sixt. Sin. Bib. Sanct. lib. iii. p. 180. An. 1130. ||Fons vitæ. "Angelical."* Now for any man to follow the steps of these, though treading sure, as having more light, can any man in reason account it to be a fault? Is there no other matter of reproof in Master Hooker's Writings, but that virtues must be faults? But he seeketh to prove matters of Divinity with the strength of "reason:"+ Indeed this is a great fault, which if many had not been afraid to commit, the world had not been filled with so many idle and unreasonable discourses. But so it is, that through an ignorant zeal of honouring the Scriptures, the name of "the light of nature," is made hateful with men ; the star of reason, and learning, and all other such like helps, beginneth no otherwise to be thought of, than as if it were an unlucky comet; or, as if God had so accursed it, that it should never shine, or give light in things concerning our duty any way toward him; but be esteemed as that "star," in the Revelation called " wormwood:" which, being fallen from heaven, maketh rivers and waters, in which it falleth so "bitter" that men tasting them, die thereof. A number there are, who think they cannot admire, as they ought, the power and authority of the Word of God, if, in things divine, they should attribute any force to man's Reason; for which cause they never use reason so willingly, as to disgrace reason. Their usual and common discourses are to this effect; Object. 1. "The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."§-For answer whereunto, we say, That concerning the ability of Reason, to search out and to judge of things Divine, if they be such as those properties of God, and those duties of men towards him which may be conceived by attentive consideration of heaven and earth, we know that of mere natural men, the Apostle testifieth, how they know both God and the law of God;|| other things of God there be which are neither so found, nor though they be shewed, can ever be approved without the special approbation of God's good grace and Spirit: such is the suffering and rising again of our Saviour Christ, which Festus, a mere natural man, could not understand;¶ therefore Paul seemed in his eyes to be learnedly "mad."** This sheweth, that nature hath need of grace,†† to which Master Hooker was never opposite, in saying that grace may have use of nature. Object. 2. But Paul chargeth the Colossians to "beware of Philosophy,"‡‡ that is to say, such knowledge as men, by natural Reason are able to attain. I confess, "Philosophy" we are warned to take heed of; not that Philosophy, which is true and sound knowledge, attained by a natural discourse of reason; but that Philosophy, which to bolster heresy, or error, (which I am sure Master Hooker doth not) casteth a fraudulent shew of reason upon things which are indeed unreasonable; and, by that means, as by a stratagem, spoileth the simple which are not able to withstand such cunning. He that giveth warning to take heed of an enemy's policy, doth not give counsel to avoid all policy; but rather, to use all provident foresight and circumspection, lest our simplicity be overreached by cunning sleights. The way not to be inveigled by them that are so guileful through skill, is thoroughly to be instructed in that which maketh skilful against guile; and to be armed with that true and sincere Philosophy, which doth teach against that deceitful and vain which spoileth. Object. 3. But have not the greatest troublers of the Church been the greatest admirers of human reason? Hath their deep and profound skill in secular learning made them the more obedient to the truth, and not armed them rather against it?—Indeed, many great philosophers have been very unsound in belief, and yet many, sound in belief, have been great philosophers. Could secular knowledge bring the one sort unto the love of Christian Faith? nor [or] Christian Faith, the other sort out of love with secular knowledge? The harm that Heretics did, was to such as by their weakness were not able to discern between sound and deceitful reasoning; and the remedy against it was ever, the skill of the ancient Fathers to discover it. Insomuch that Cresconius the heretic complained greatly of St. Austin, as you do of Master Hooker, for being too full of logical subtilties. Object. 4. But the Word of God in itself is absolute, exact, and perfect, and therefore needless to add any human or School learning; for those weapons are like the armour of Saul, rather cumbersome than needful; and with these hath Master Hooker filled his writings. I answer, there is in the world no kind of knowledge whereby any part of truth is seen, but we justly account it precious: yea, that principal Truth, in comparison whereof all other truth is vile, may receive from it some kind of light; whether it be that Egyptian, and Chaldean "wisdom" mathematical, wherewith Moses* and Daniel+ were furnished; or that natural, moral, and civil wisdom, wherein Solomon excelled all men ;‡ or that rational and oratorical wisdom of the Grecians, which the Apostle St. Paul brought from Tarsus; or that Judaical which he learned in Jerusalem, sitting at the feet of Gamaliel § to detract from the dignity thereof, were to injure even God himself; who, being that "light which none can approach unto,"|| hath sent out these lights, whereof we are capable, as so many sparkles resembling the bright fountain from which they rise. And therefore, *Acts vii. 22. + Dan. i. 17. 1 Kings iv. 29, 30. unto the Word of God, being in respect of that end whereunto God ordained it, perfect, exact, and absolute, we do not add any thing as a supplement of any maim, or defect therein; but as a necessary instrument, without which we could not reap by the Scripture's perfection, that fruit, and benefit which it yieldeth. In respect of all which places alleged, it must needs seem strange, that any for the use of School divinity, and human learning, should incur that hard suspicion, which you seek to fasten upon Mr. Hooker; namely, that he is " a privy and subtle enemy to the whole state of our Church; that he would have men to deem her Majesty to have done ill in abolishing the Romish Religion; that he would be glad to see the back-sliding of all Reformed Churches; "* or, that he means "to bring in a confusion of all things; " a toleration "of all religions;"† these, and such like, are the heavy conclusions that follow the use of Schoolmen and secular Learning; and the least of those evils, which are likely, in your opinion, to be derived into the heart of our Church and Commonwealth, from that dangerous poison which is contained in Master Hooker's Writings. Surely it is great pity, that all men should "think what they list, or speak openly what they think; "+ but doubtless it did little move him, when you say that which a greater than you certainly will gainsay. His words in this cause have seemed to you as an arrow sticking in a thigh of flesh, and your own as a child whereof you must needs be delivered by an hour; but deliberation would have given, peradventure, more ripeness, which now by haste hath, as a thing born out of time, been small joy to you that begat it. Therefore I will conclude with the speech of the son of Sirach: "He that applieth his mind to the law of the most High, keepeth the sayings of famous men, and entereth in, also, into the secrets of dark sentences: he seeketh out the mystery of grave sentences, and exerciseth himself in dark parables; though he be dead he shall leave a greater fame, than a thousand."§ Doubtless this is verified in him of whom you have published unto the world so hard a censure. ARTICLE XXI. THE STYLE AND MANNER OF WRITING. As it is an honour to perform that which is excellent; so, it is a virtue to approve that which is excellently performed: where to be wanting in the first, may be sloth, or ignorance, but to be wanting in the latter, must needs be malice. Few there are or have been in any age, which reaping the due recompense of their labour, have done * Vol. II. p. 445. + [Ibid.] [Vol. III. p. 367.] that good which they ought, and have not received that reward which they ought not. Wise men have thought no otherwise, but that this common lot might be their portion; yet the fear thereof could not have that power over all, to make them in that respect wholly and unprofitably silent knowing, that even that which they suffered for well doing, was their honour; and that which they did well and suffered for it, was others' shame. This vice, in my opinion, is not more usual with any, than with us, who by reason of the corrupt quality thereof, have imposed a silence to a great number, who by their writings, doubtless, would have been very singular ornaments unto God's Church. Whereas strangers of less merit, have a twofold advantage. The one, that we read their writings without prejudice of their persons; the other, that with a desire of novelty, we greedily devour (as we do fashions) whatsoever we think to be done by strangers; this only, in all things (how excellent soever) being cause enough of dislike, that it is home-born; but more justly of silence, that it is disliked. So that when we have sifted, whatsoever is likely to be reproved, even the last thing to be examined is the Style itself. Thus have you dealt with Master Hooker, whom, as in all other things, you have set upon the rack; so in this, you have taken upon you far more than beseemeth either the modesty or the small learning that is usually found in such as profess themselves to be but " common Christians."* For certainly to judge of a Style, is not the least point of learning, though it be the least known: but, peremptorily, to dislike, which you do, is more than only to judge. For this is but to deliver special verdict, as we think ourselves; but the other is to take upon us, exactly to tell what the law is. Some I have seen, excellently writing upon the variety of styles; and the best, in my opinion, is one Pascal, who was like enough to judge well, because he himself wrote an excellent style; yet surely there is in no point of learning greater variety of tastes than there is in this: some prefer Sallust, others Cæsar, a third Seneca, a fourth Tacitus; in one word, every man according to his own fancy. This, as it is in Styles, so it is in the several actions of men; where they are no sooner born into the world, but Censure, as a gossip, names them. A thing I confess needful, and unfit to be prohibited, seeing we reap oftentimes, more benefit by our enemies than our friends; yet this sheweth that the world is unhappy, where the best offices are performed by our worst acquaintance. If we come to Authors, some dislike Plato, as Athenæus did, calling him "confused;" others say, I only esteem Plato, who doth so cunningly weave knowledge and virtue together, as if he said, he were content to give you knowledge, upon condition, that you should be * [Sup. 559.] ! |