The Court of the Gentiles Part 2, Book 4 · Chapter 3
Chap.CHAP. III. Of the Stoick Sect, and Philoſophie, its original, &c.
§. I. Of Zeno his Original, and Praeceptors. II. Zeno's Schole the Stoa; his institution of the Stoick Sect, his Charactor. III. Cleanthes his Character. IIII. Chryſippus his repute amongſt the Stoicks. V. Diogenes Babylonius, Antipater, Poſſidonius. VI. Roman Stoicks, Cato, Varro, Antoninus, Tullie, Seneca. VII. Christian Stoicks. VIII Stoick Philoſophie was but a corrupt derivation from the Jewiſh Theologie. IX. Of Stoiciſme in general, and its combination with Socratick, and Cynick Philoſophie, with its difference from the Peripatetick, and New Academick. X. Particular Dogmes of Stoiciſme. 1. of the Stoick Comprehenſion. 2. The Stoick Metaphyſicks; of God, his Names, Nature, and Attributes, of God's works of creation, and Providence, of fate, and God's providence over Mankind. 3. Of the Stoick Phyſicks, the Soul; the Stoick foreign 4. the Stoick Ethicks. 1. Appetition, and ſelf-preſervation, with tolerance, and abſtinence. 2. That paſſions are irrational 3. that the wiſe are only free. 4. foreign 5. foreign. 6. Virtue deſirable for it ſelf. §. 15. The corruptions of Stoiciſme, and its oppoſition to Chriſtianitie.
Of Zeno his original, and Inſtructors.§. 1. NExt to the Cynicks follow the Stoicks, who received their original from them, by Zeno the founder of their Sect, who was ſometimes Scholar to Crates. This Zeno was borne at Cittium, a Greek Sea-town in the Iſle of Cyprus. So Strabo lib. 14. foreign Cittium has a port, which may be ſhut; hence ſprang Zeno the prince of the Stoick Sect. This Cittium was planted, and enhabited by a Colonie of the Phenicians, whence Zeno was by ſome ſtiled the Phenician; Thence Crates cals him the little Phenician; as Suidas in Zeno: Zeno being according to Laertius about 17. years of age (or as Perſaeus 22.) took a voyage to Athens, whither he was inclined, as well by his particular propenſion to Philoſophie, as by his buſineſſe, which was to ſell ſome purple, which he had brought out of Phenicia, as ſome will have it. Though Laertius ſeems to make the only ground of his voyage into Greece to be for traffick; but being robbed by Pirats, or ſhipwrackt, he thence took occaſion of going to Athens; where conſulting the oracle, how he might live beſt? anſwer was made, foreign If he ſhould joyn himſelf to the dead, &c. which underſtanding of ſtudie, he betook himſelf with great diligence to read the books of the Ancients, and ſo came into familiaritie with Crates the Cynick, but being, as Laertius tels us, foreign, too modeſt for the Cynick Impudence, leaving Crates, he applied himſelf to Stilpo the Megarick Philoſopher; From him he betook himſelf unto Zenocrates: He heard alſo Polemo the Academick as Cicero lib. 1. Quaest. Acad.
§. 2. Zeno having been long an hearer of others;Zeno's inſtitution of the Stoick Self, with his Character. endeavoured to correct what was amiſſe in them, and at length thought good to inſtitute a new Sect: for which purpoſe he made choice of the foreign, the painted Porch, ſo named from the Pictures of Polygnatus, otherwiſe called foreign, where in the time of the 30 Tyrants near 1400. Citizens were put to death. So Laertius foreign.Zeno in tant… apud Athenienſes aeſtimie fuit, ut coronae aurea donarent: ipſi aram conſecrarent: dubiis que temporibus claves urbi… apud eum deponerent. Certatim igitur undi que juventus non Artica ſolum, ſed & totius Graeciae ad eum confluebat. Hornius, Hiſt. Phil. l. 3. c. 16. Here Zeno walked, and Philoſophized, whither reſorted many Diſciples, who (as Laertius addes) were foreign, from this Stoa called Stoicks. Zeno was indeed a perſon of great Intellectuals, and naturals; as it appears by the oppoſition made againſt him by Carneades, who was fain in his engagements againſt Zeno to purge his head with white Hellebore. And as his worth was great, ſo his reputation amongſt the Athenians was not little: For by the Philoſophie, which he taught, and by the practice of his Life conformable to that Doctrine, Zeno gained ſo high an eſtimation amongſt the Athenians, that they depoſited the keys of their Citie in his hands, with their Liberties. His name was alſo much honored by his own Country-men, as well at Cyprus, as at Sidon. See Stanley of Stoick. Philoſophie; and Diogenes Laertius of Zeno, who farther addes, that Zeno being ſenſible, what gain he had by Philoſophie, was wont to ſay touching his loſſes at Sea, which were the occaſion thereo, foreign. I made a proſperous voiage, when I ſuffered ſhipwrack, &c.
Zeno's ſucceſſor Cleanthes his Character.§. 3. Zeno of Cittium was ſucceeded by Cleanthes Aſſius his Auditor, who by reaſon of his unwearied labour and indefatigable ſtudie was termed another Hercules; alſo foreign, becauſe he imployed himſelf in drawing water by night that ſo he might by day imploy himſelf in his ſtudies. Thence that of Arrianus in Epictetum, lib. 3. cap. 17. foreign; Where is Cleanthes, who together followed his ſtudies, and drew water? Tullie gives him an high Character, calling him the father of the Stoicks, as lib. 3. de Natura Deorum. And Simplicius commentar. in Euchirid. Epicteti tells us, that he was ſo far honored by the Roman Senat, that they appointed his Statue to be erected at Aſſum, a Citie of Eolis, where he was born. And certainly the Fragments of his Workes, which yet remain, argue him to have been a perſon of great worth as to Philoſophie. We find 37. Heroick verſes with an Hemiſtich of his in Stobaeus's Phyſick Eclogues: alſo 5. Jambicks turned into Latin in Senecae Epiſt. 107. likewiſe 4. Heroicks in Clemens Alexandr. lib. 5. foreign. beſides Proſes in Sextus; and Jambicks in Plutarch, Of Chryſippus. Reliquit diſcipulum Chryſippū, acutiſſimum omnium Philoſophorum; unde Chryſippeū acumen, … qui tamen primus corrupit virilem Sectam Spinofo accumine Quaeſtionū. Lipſius l. 1. de Conſt. c. 10. Of Diogenes Babylonius.and Galen, with others.
§. 4. Cleanthes's Auditor, and ſucceſſor was Chryſippus, who was borne at Sole, a Town of Cilicia (whence came the name Solaeciſme) and of great repute amongſt the Stoicks, according to that old ſaying of Laertius, foreign unleſſe there had been a Chryſippus, the Stoa had not ſubſiſted. So Tullie lib. 1. de Finibus: Nothing▪ ſaies he▪ belonging to the Stoick Philoſophie was pretermitted by Chryſippus. He writ an excellent Diſcourſe of Providence, out of which Aulus Gellius (lib. 6. cap. 2.) has collected ſome heads, of which yet Laertius, who has writ his life, makes no mention.
§. 5. Chryſippus was heard, and ſucceded by Diogenes Babylonius: Diogenes by Antipater: and Antipater by Poſſidonius. We find all theſe mentioned together by Galen, or who ever elſe were the author foreign, initio, foreign. This man was heard by Zeno of Cittium, who invented the Philoſophie of the Stoicks, whoſe mode of Philoſophizing was followed by Cleanthes; of whom Chryſippus was an auditor, who followed the ſame Inſtitution: of this man Diogenes Babylonius was Auditor, as alſo Maſter of Antipater; of whom Poſſidonius was Auditor. Diogenes Babylonius was he, who in the Second Punick War (P. Scipio and M. Marcellus being Conſuls) was together with Carneades the Academick, Antipater Sidonius.and Critolaus the Peripatetick ſent by the Athenians to Rome on Publick Embaſſage, as Cicero lib. 4. Tuſcul. Diogenes, Laertius (in Diogenes the Cynick) tels us, that he was borne at Seleucia, and called Babybonian from the vicinitie of Place. The Diſciple of this Diogenes Babylonius was Antipater Sidonius, whom Cicero de Officiis lib. 3. cals the moſt acute perſon. Seneca Epiſt. 92. reckons him amongſt the famous Heroes of the Stoick Sect. He was of Sidon, and thence termed Sidonius. The Diſciples of Antipater, were Panaetius, as alſo Poſſidonius. Poſſidonius.This Poſſidonius was Originally of Syria, though he choſe rather to paſſe for a Rhodian, as Strabo, and Athenaeus. Strabo lib. 16. ſaies he was foreign the most learned of his Age. Alſo lib. 14. that he had the Administration of the Rhodian Republick.
§. 6. Beſides theſe there are ſeveral others amongſt the Romans, who may juſtly be reputed of the Stoick Sect, Roman Stoicks.as Tubero, Cato, Varro; and after them Thraſeus Paetus, Helvidius Priſcus, Rubellius, Cato. Varro. Antoninus. Tullie. Seneca.Plautus, with M. Antoninus the Emperor, in whoſe time no Sect flouriſhed ſo much as the Stoick, according to Sextus Empiricus: Tullie ſeems moſtly in love with this Sect; as in Tuſcul. 4. where he ſeems to make them almoſt the only laudable Sect. How far Seneca was enclined to this Sect is evident enough by his Epiſtles: Epiſtol. 83. he cals it the the most valiant and holie Sect; and de Const. Sap. cap. 1. he ſaies There was ſo much difference 'twixt the Stoicks, and other Profeſſors of Wiſdom, as there was 'twixt men, and women. Seneca received the Principles of Stoick Philoſophie from Sotion, whom he acknowledgeth to be his Praeceptors So Epiſt. 49. and 58.
§. 7. Yea not onelyonly amongſt the Gentiles, but even amongſt Chriſtians many were much drencht in Stoick Philoſophie. Chriſtian Stoicks.So Pantaenus Biſhop of Alexandria, who as Jerom acquaints us, i… was ſent to the Indian Brachmans, to preach Chriſt among them, that ſo, if it might pleaſe God, this Chriſtian Philoſopher might convert thoſe Pagan Philoſophers. Diſciple to this Pantaenus was Clemens Alexandrinus, who oft diſcovers his affection to the Stoick Philoſophie. That which made this Sect ſo pleaſing to many Christians, as well as Pagans, was the gravitie of their converſation, their contempt of terrene good, their moderation in the uſe of creature-comforts, and patience in the want of them: Hence Jerom on Eſa. 10. ſaies, the Stoicks do in many things agree with our Dogmes.
§. 8. And indeed no wonder, if the Stoicks agreed very far with the Chri…tian Religion as to morals;That the Stoick Philoſophie was but a corrupt derivation from the Jewiſh Theologie. ſeeing the choiceſt of their notions were but corrupt derivations and traductions from the Sacred fountain of Iſrael: which will be evident from theſe particulars. 1. The Stoicks Morals were but rivulets ſtreaming from the Socratick Philoſophie, which, as we have before demonſtrated, had its original from Jewiſh Morals delivered by Solomon and others. 2. Zeno the Founder of the Stoick Sect was (as we have before ſhewen §. 1.) Native of Cittium, a Phenician Town in Cyprus, and ſo of Phenician extract. Now (as we have elſe where demonſtrated at large) the Phenicians had familiar converſation with the Jews, & great notices of their Doctrines, eſpecially ſuch as were moral. That Zeno traduced the choiceſt parts of his Philoſophie from the Phenicians, and Jews is well obſerved by Hornius Hiſt. Philoſ. lib. 3. cap. 16. It is eaſie for any to underſtand whence Zeno attained to ſo great Sapience. For ſeeing he had his original from Cittium, which received Phenician Colonies, we need no way doubt, but that he drew from their Monuments, and Myſteries, thoſe his contemplations, which do ſo much accord with Divine Veritie; Eſpecially ſuch things, as de delivered touching Providence. Cyprus is near Paleſtine and Aegypt, yea enhabited by Colonies from both; &c. 3. Yea in Cyprus, where Zeno ſucked in his firſt breath, and inſtitution, there were many Jews, as Grotius on Math. 22.23. In Cyprus (ſaies he) whence Zeno was, there were ever many Jews. 4. Antipater a great Maſter of the Stoick Philoſophie was alſo of Sidon, a Phenician town bordering on Judea; and thence had great advantage for the acquainting himſelf with the Jewiſh Institutes, and Morals, as. §. 5. 5. Laſtly many of the Stoick Dogmes are apparently of Jewiſh origination; as the Stoick foreign Spermatick word, whereby the Ʋniverſe was framed; which is evidently a derivation from Gen. 1.1. Alſo the Stoick foreign, or final conflagration, and purification of all things by fire is evidently no other, than ſome broken tradition of Enoch's, or ſome Jewiſh prophecie of the laſt conflagration; as elſe where we may prove. The truth of this poſition will farther appear from the following Dogmes of Stoiciſme.
§. 9.Of Stoiciſme in general, and its combination with other Sects. Firſt that Stoi…iſme was but a branch of the Socratick Philoſophie is ſufficiently apparent both from their agreeme…t in matter, and alſo from the aſſiſtance Zeno had from Socrates's Diſciples. The Stoicks alſo held a very good correſpondence and accord with thoſe of the old Academie. The Stoicks conſpire with the Cynicks.But their chiefeſt communion was with the …ynicks. For Zeno their founder was firſt inſtituted in Cyniciſme under Crates, whence there ſprang a great fraternitie 'twixt the Cynicks and Stoicks, as in the former Chapter. §. 4. The Stoicks ſtood at a great di…tance from, and Conteſt with the Peripateticks about the agreement of Natural, and Moral good. The Stoicks held that things hone…t were disjoyned from things Commodious toto genere, in their whole Nature:Their difference with the Peripatetick. The Peripateticks h…ld their difference to be only gradual. Some thought this Controverſie 'twixt the Stoicks, and Pe…ipateticks to be only verbal: So Antiochu…, Varro's Praeceptor, who compoſed a book of the Concord 'twixt the Stoicks, and Peripateticks. But Cicero, lib. 1. de Nat. Deorum, contradicts him thus. I wonder that Antiochus a perſon ſo greatly acute ſaw not, that there was an huge diſtance 'twixt the Stoicks, who disjoyned things hone… from things commodious, not only in name, but toto genere; and the Peripateticks, who compounded thi…gs hone…t w…th things commodious ſo as they ſhould differ amongſt themſelves in magnitude, and degrees only, not in kind. For this is not a ſmall diſſenſion of words only, but a very great difference of things. Yet in ſome things the Stoicks and Peripateti…ks agreed; as that they both made foreign, right reaſon, the meaſure of good, and …vil… they both made Virtue deſirable for it ſelf, &c. The Stoicks alſo differed much from thoſe of the New Academie, who ſtiffely aſſerted an foreign, or incompreh…nſion. For Zeno had ſharp, and perpetual conflicts with Arceſilas, Their conteſts with the New Academicks.who inſtituted the Second Acad…mi…, and the Academick foreign. Whence alſo Ca…n…ad…s, who was the In…itutor of the third, or New Acad…mie, writ ſharpely aga…nſt Zeno the Stoick his b…oks, as Aul. Gellius lib. 17. cap. 15.The particular Dogmes of Stoiciſme. 1. Comprehenſion.
§. 10. As for the particular Dogmes of Stoiciſme, the Stoicks held 1. That there are certain, common principles, or Ideas in men, which they called foreign, Comprehenſions, in oppoſition to the Academick foreign, incomprehenſion, introduced by Arceſilas. foreign was firſt uſed in this ſenſe by Leno; and that in a ſenſe Metaphorical, and borrowed from things apprehended by the hand, which alluſion he expreſſed by action: for ſhewing his hand with the fingers stretched forth, this he made the image of fancie: then bending them a little, this he made a ſymbol of aſſent: then compreſſing them, and cloſing his fiſt, this he made to be comprehenſion; which according to the Stoicks is a firme, and certain knowledge. For, ſay they, whatſoever is underſtood, is comprehended by the mind one of theſe two waies: either 1. by evident incurſion which Laertius ſtiles a knowledge by ſenſe, or 2. by tranſition from Ev…dence, termed by Laertius collection by Demonſtration, of which they make 3. kinds. 1. Aſſimilation: So a perſon is comprehended by his picture. 2. Compoſttion as of a Goat and an Hart is made Hirco-cervus. 3. Analogie, which is either by Augmentation, or Diminution. Thus of Stoick comprehenſion.
2. The Stoicks notions of God, and his nature.§. 11. 2. As to Metaphyſicks; the Stoicks held, as Laertius tels us, 1. foreign, &c. That God was but one called by ſeveral names viz. foreign the mind, foreign Fate, foreign Jupiter, &c. 2. They define God, foreign, &c. That God is a Living, Immortal, Rational, Perfect Being, or intellectual in happineſſe, void of all Evil, providential over the world, not of human forme, maker, and, as it were, parent of the Univerſe. According to Plutarch. Philoſ…ph. Placit. 1.6. The Stoicks define God, A ſpirit full of intelligence, of a fierie nature, having no proper forme, but tranſforming himſelf into whatſoever he pleaſeth. So Laertius acquaints us, that they held God to be the firſt, moſt pure being, whoſe eſſence was comprehenſive of, and diffuſed through all beings. 3. The Stoicks aſſerted likewiſe, that God was foreign ingenerable, and incorruptible. We underſtand by God, ſaith Antipater, a living Nature, or ſubſtance, happie, incorruptible, doing good to mankind, &c.
God's creatition and Providence.§. 12. Touching God …s Works of Creation, and Providence, Laertius informes us, that the Stoicks held God to be the firſt Cauſe of all things, and as the faetus is conteined in the Seed foreign. So alſo God was the Spermatick Word of the Ʋniverſe, according to Joh. 1.12. They affirme alſo (addes Laertius) foreign That the Univerſe was framed according to infinite Wiſdome, previſion, or Providence: according to Gen. 1.31. God ſaw. Touching God's Providence over the World,Of Providence. the Stoicks aſſert (as Plutarch. Placit. Philoſ.) That God is an operative artificial fire, Methodically ordering, and effecting the generation of things, comprehending in himſelf all that foreign, Prolifick Virtue, whereby every thing is produced according to fate. This ſeems the ſame with the Platonick foreign Ʋniverſal ſpirit traduced from Gen. 1.2. which is farther evident from their notions of Fate, which Zeno makes not to differ much from Nature, and Providence. Chryſippus defines Fate, Of Fate.a ſpiritual power governing the world orderly, or an eternal indeclinable ſeries of things commixing, and implicating it ſelf by eternal orders of conſequence, of which it is compoſed, and connected: or the reaſon of the world, or the law of all things in the world governed by Providence. Panaetius the Stoick expreſſely aſſerts Fate to be God. Though many of the Fathers, as Ju…tin Martyr. Apol. 1. Ireneus, Epiphanius with others diſpute vehemently againſt this Stoick Fate, &c. The Stoicks held alſo, that the Gods had a more particular providence over mankind, God's providence over Mankind.which is manifeſted by this, that all things in the world were made for the uſe of Man. Hence alſo they held with Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and the reſt, certain Daemons, which had inſpection over, and compaſſion for men: So Laertius in Zeno foreign. That theſe Daemons were but Satanick Apes of the Jewiſh Meſſias, we have elſe where demonſtrated.
§. 13. Touching Natural Philoſophie, the Stoicks held. 1. The Soul to be a ſpirit connatural, and immortal: So Laertius in Zeno, Stoicks Phyſicks. 1. Of the Soul. 2. The foreign.foreign. 2. They aſſerted alſo the final conflagration of the World by fire, which they called foreign, and traduced originally from the Jews, though immediately from the Phenicians, as Grotius affirmes. This (ſaies he) Zens received from the Phenicians, &c.
§. 14.The Stoicks Ethicks. But the Stoicks chief excellence conſiſtes in Moral Philoſophie; the firſt part whereof they place in Appetition, and their firſt appetition (according to Laertius) is foreign, to preſerve ſelf, for, ſay they, it is not lawfull for any to be ſo proper to any, as to himſelf, and becauſe nothing conduceth ſo much to ſelf-preſervation, as tolerance, and abſtinence: thence ſome comprehend the whole of their Morals in theſe two foreign bear, and abſtain. 2. That paſſions are irrational. Diogenes Laertius in Zeno.2. The Stoicks held foreign, that Paſſions were irrational: whence they defined foreign, Paſſion is the irrational, and preternatural motion of the Soul: again foreign an inordinate impulſe: and thence they concluded all wiſe men were auſtere, not indulging themſelves, or others, in pleaſures, grief, or other paſſions. They held alſo foreign, that Will was contrarie to concupiſcence. Whence they aſſert alſo, that there were 3 foreign, or good affections in wiſe men: namely Will, Joy, and Caution: but 4 foreign or perturbations in fools, Cupiditie, Gladneſſe, Fear, and Sorrow: as Lud: Vives in Aug. Civ. lib. 14. cap. 8.
§. 14.3. The Stoicks held alſo (as Diogen. Laert.) foreign that the wiſe man was only free, but wicked men ſlaves. This Libertie they defined thus foreign, Libertie is a power of ſelf-motion. 4. They affirmed likewiſe, that there was foreign, a right reaſon not only Objective, but alſo Subjective, and innate in human nature, which being improved might bring men to a ſtate of happineſs. So Laertius foreign. 5. Hence alſo they held, that there was foreign a good nature, or ſeeds of Virtue in nature, and Free-will to good. Whence likewiſe, contrarie to Socrates, they aſſerted foreign, that Virtue was teachable. So Zeno, in an Epistle to Antigonus, ſaith, that a generous nature with indifferent exerciſe, & the aſſiſtance of a Praeceptor might eaſily attain to perect Virtue. 6. Some of them held, that Virtue might be loſt; others that it could not, foreign, by reaſon of thoſe firme principles. Cleanthes ſaid foreign. That a righteous man was ſuch by Nature, not by inſtitution. 7. They held alſo, that Virtue was deſirable for it ſelf, and that our Objective happineſſe lay in Virtue, &c. 8. They thence affirmed foreign, That friendſhip was to be found only amongſt virtuous perſons, by reaſon of their likeneſſe. 9. They held likewiſe, that holie perſons only could Worſhip God aright, foreign, that devout, and juſt perſons only were skilful in ſuch Rites, as belonged to the Gods. 10. Laſtly they affirmed that a virtuous man affects not monaſtick life, but active. foreign, a Virtuous perſon is communicative by nature, and active. See theſe Dogmes of Stoiciſme more largely in Laertius on Zeno, where he gives us a brief account of the whole bodie of Stoick Philoſophie. The ſame, as to morals, is laid down more fully by Epictetus in his Enchiridion, as alſo by Simplicius in his annotations thereon, & yet more amply by Arrianus, who collected Epictetus his Stoick Diſcourſes delivered at home, or abroad, & digeſted them into a ſyſteme. But none has given us a more perfect Idea of Stoick Philoſophie, than amongſt the ancients Lucius Seneca, and Amongſt the moderne Lipſius in his Manuduct. to Stoick Philoſophie.
§. 15. Albeit the Stoicks, as to Morals, The corruptions of the Stoick Philoſophie, and its contradiction to Chriſtianitie.came the neareſt of any to Chriſtians, yet were they of all Sects of Philoſophers the greateſt Enemies to the Chriſtian Religion: and indeed no wonder; ſeeing their foreign, or whole deſigne was to attain unto Happineſſe by their Virtuous Works, and ſo to make that of their own Carnal Wiſdome, and Free-will to all good, which we do of Chriſt. Hence they aſſerted foreign, a right reaſon, and foreign, or foreign a Free-will to all good, with ſeeds of Virtue in human nature. Whence Auſtin affirmes, that the Stoicks as well, as the Epicureans, come under that condemnation of the Apoſtle Rom. 8.5.Rom. 8.5. &c. They that are after the fleſh, &c. For indeed to make our own Wiſdome, and Free-will, our God, as the Stoicks did, is the moſt curſed piece of our Carnal-mindedneſſe, and Idolatrie. Now that the Stoicks made their own Wiſdome, and Virtues their God, is very evident from that of Grotius in Act. 17.18. foreign] who there ſaies, that the Stoicks were foreign, Veſſels filled with vain preſumption, and moſt averſe from the Christian Religion; they denyed, that their Wiſe man came ſhort in any thing of Jupiter; that he owed nothing to God for his Wiſdome; That Jupiter could not do more than a good man; that Jupiter was for a longer time good, but that a wiſe man eſteemed never the worſe of himſelf, becauſe his Virtues were ſhut up within a narrower compaſſe of time: which you find in Seneca Epi…t. 73. that a man ſhould kill himſelf, rather than endure ſervitude, contumelies, or great diſeaſes. Thus Grotius. And indeed Stoick Philoſophie, albeit it give us an excellent Idea of Moralitie, yet falling upon our nature as degenerate, and corrupt, it has hitherto been of little uſe, ſave to feed ſpiritual pride, and turn off men from the Covenant of Grace to live upon the old Covenant of Works. This is ſufficiently evident from that poiſonous influence which Stoick Philoſophie has had on Pelagianiſme: For the chiefeſt of the Pelagian infuſions received their firſt ferment from the Stoa; Whence ſprang the Pelagian Right Reaſon; Free-will; Seeds of Virtue; Impeccancie, or perfect ſtate, but from the Stoick foreign,Stoick Philoſophie, a cauſe of Pelagianiſme. and foreign? as we ſhall elſe where, God willing, demonſtrate fully. That Stoick Philoſophie is very apt to puff up, and ſwell proud corrupt nature, Plutarch himſelf ſeems to confeſſe in Cleomene, foreign. The Stoick Philoſophie, if it fall upon great, and acute natures, proves lubricous, inordinate, or doubtful; but if it be tempered with a grave, and meek, or humble mind, it confers much to true, or proper good. This great, or proud nature, which receives ſo much dammage by Stoick Philoſophie, is common to all men naturally: and the truely humble, and Meek ſpirit (which Plutarch makes the only ſit ſubject for Stoick Philoſophie) is no where to be found, but in the Schole of Chriſt, namely among ſuch, who being ſtript of their own Wiſdom, Free-wil to all Good, and other legal ſufficiencies, know how to improve thoſe Stoick Principles of Moralitie on Goſpel motives or grounds, with Goſpel dependance on Chriſt, and unto Goſpel Ends, viz. the exaltation of Christ his free Grace, and the Glorie of it. This is the true Chriſtian Stoiciſme.