Treatise of Religion and Learning, To the reader – Publishers advertisement
To the Judicious and Candid READER.
READER,
WHen I first pitcht my thoughts upon this Subject, I intended only to give some brief Character of some Humanists, and some of the chief reformed Writers, but in the prosecution of my Design, meeting with divers Elogies and apt descriptions of some of the chief Popish Writers, I thought it not amiss to make the Work more general. A learned Divine inquired of me, when my Body of Divinity was coming forth, Whether I treated there of Religion, seeming to wonder, that many who published Systemes of Divinity, said nothing of so usefull a Subject, whereabout also many Questions might be raised and discussed. I thereupon bethinking with my self, that I might conveniently treat of it in this Book, accordingly made Religion and Learning the Argument of the two first Books, and those that were eminently Religious or Learned, are mentioned according to the order of the Alphabet in the four following Books. But I take liberty therein by reason of the Alphabetical order, and because I could not so properly refer them to the second Book, to speak of several Bibles, Councels, Confessions, Proverbs, and the Talmud, in the letter of the Alphabet, whereto they belong, the knowledge thereof being helpfull to Schollers. Besides, where I speak of Charles the Great and the fifth, I also mention Charles the ninth, both because I met with an excellent Character of him in Thuanus, and also because he was a special instance of Gods retaliating Justice, for shedding the bloud of Protestants in the Parisian Massacre. I may perhaps also mention an Heretick that was not famous either for Learning or Piety. I thought good to advertise the Reader hereof, lest he should wonder else when he meets with these particulars. The first Book is concerning Religion, that it is, what it is, its Antiquity, the true and false Religions, the Reformed Religion, and some Questions about Religion are also discussed. The second Book is concerning Learning, its Excellentcy, Usefulness, of the Liberal Arts, the Languages, Universities. In the four last Books, my intention was to speak of such as were Zealous for the true Religion, or eminent for Learning, either as general Schollers, or peculiarly learned in any kinde. As the Argument is double, Religion and Learning, and the persons double, Religious and Learned, so I should be glad, if it might conduce any way to the advancing of the esteem at least of the true Religion and Learning, to the setling of men in the true Religion, and incouraging of them in all good Literature. You have here a Catalogue of the famous Witnesses of Christ against Antichrist, of the Champions for Truth, the glorious Reformers and blessed Martyrs, to win you to the liking of, and constancy in the true Religion. You have also here a roll of the famous Linguists and Artists, the learned Lawyers, Physicians, Divines, ancient and modern, Protestants and Papists, the learned Poets, Philosophers, Historiographers, Orators, learned men and women, to allure you to a good opinion at least of Learning, as that which is so many wayes usefull both to Civil and Christian societies.
I might here expatiate in the just praises of England, for the purity of its Doctrine in Religion, and also for the many learned Authors*See Burtons Melancholy. part. 1. Memb. 3 sub Sect. 15. Reformare nos vererem religionem discupivimus, non formari nouani: Reformata soilicet, non recens edita Ecclesia Eadem ergo est quae prius s…it, nisi quod ab errorum qu…randam superfluis, perniciosisq…e adjectamentis repurg ita est. Episc. Halli Colamba Noae. here bred and fostered. But because I speak somewhat of it in the Book, I shall be the briefer here.
As the Separation made by our first Reformers was most just for the Idolatry and Cruelty of the Romish Church, Revel. 17.5, 6. notwithstanding the great … of Schism against us by the Romanists, so the English have since the first Reformation here happily begun in the Reign of that pious Prince Edward the sixth, and sealed with the bloud of many holy Martyrs in the dayes of Queen Mary, maintained and countenanced that pure Religion which may fitly be called their Palladium. England is celebrated abroad by the name of the ringing Island, and it may justly ascribe the great fertility and plenty of outward blessings it enjoyes, to the free entertainment it hath given to the Gospel, and the true Professours of it. But let us take heed of imitating Holland too much in an Universal Toleration of all Religions, shall, I say, or opinions, least what Baudius applies to them, agree too fitly to us, Sed vivimus hic non solum in regno libertatis verum etiam licentiae. Baud. Epist. cent. 2. Epist. 58.
They were wont by way of scorn to call all Transalpines that were not Italians.For learned men, if there were Athenae Anglicae, as there are Athenae Batavae and Belgicae, and as Leland, Balaeus, Godwin of old, so some judicious pen would reckon up the Viri Illustres of later times here in England, I doubt not but there would be a great number of English Heroes.
Magnum est, quod dicturus sum, dicam tamen, proculomni fastu & assentatione, ring intur, rumpantur invidi …tupor mundi …lerus Britannicus. Tot doctos Theologos, tot disertos concionatores frustra u…iam alibi ho…ie sab coelo q…aefieris Halli Columba Noae.Pithaeus Praefat. in Quintiliani Declamationes reckons up many learned Frenchmen. Archbishop Spotswood in his History of Scotland, mentions many learned Scotchmen, l. 1. p. 22, 23.
I shall endeavour to marshall up some of our English Schollers.
For the multitude of Divines and Preachers of this Nation, I shall need to say little, it being generally acknowledged, that we herein surpasse the rest of the Reformed Churches. The ancient great lights of our Church were Juell, Humfrie, Fox, Whitgift, Fulk, Whitaker, Rainolds, Bilson, Greenam, Babington, Eedes, Holland, Abbot, Perkins, Field, Hooker, Overall, Willet, White, Mason, Elton, Randall, Stock. The later are Davenant, Hall, Morton, Ward, Bromwrick, Boise, Preston, Stoughton, Sibbes, Gouge, Hill, Reynolds, Seaman, Harris, Vines, Tucknie, Strong, Arrowsmith, Martial, Owen, Goodwin, Calamy, Caryl, Baxter, Marshal, Burgess, Manton, Blake.
For English Schoolmen, I say enough in Merton-Colledge.Ista claborata Theologia practica, cujus à libero …piritu insigne charisma Ecclesia Anglicana prae caeteris nunc accepit nationibus. Stres. Praefat. …ad Technol. Theol.
For Humanists Burton, Farnaby.
For Linguists, Hebricians of old, Baines, Pacie, Wakefield.
Of later time Fuller, Lively, Broughton, Ainsworth.
Grecians, Downes, Cheek, Hales, Sir Henry Savil, Du Port.
For Grammarians, Linacer, Grant.
For Historians, Matthew Paris, Matthew Westminster, Huntingdon, Gulielmus Malmesburiensis, Sir Walter Raleigh, Wheare.
For Logicians, Brerewrod, Crakanthorpe, Sanderson.
For Poets of old, Chaucer, Spenser, Ockland.
Of late, Alabaster, Serjeant Hoskius, Herbert.
For Mathematicians, Roger Bacon, Johannes de Sacro-bosco, Brigges, Lydiat, Pell, Oughtred.
For Philosophers, Sir Francis Bacon, Gilbert.
For learned Physicians, Dr Butler, Dr Harvy.
For learned Antiquaries, Leland, Camden, Sir Henry Spelman, Selden.
For Cosmographers. Purchas, Hues.
For learned women, Queen *I'oserois opposer une seule Elisabeth en sa vie Reyne d' Angleterre, & vuc Jane Graye à toutes les illustres semmes de la Grece & de la Romme Ancienne Anna Maria Schurman.Elizabeth, the Lady Jane Gray, and Weston.
Some may perhaps think it may savour of flattery for me to mention the living amongst the other learned men deceased, Nam vivorum ut magna admiratio, ita censura difficilis est, Paterc. Hist. l. 2.
To that I answer, Some of those Latine Authors, which write of illustrious men, speak of divers that were then living.
2. Those that are well acquainted with my temper, will not, I suppose, much charge me with adulation, and the ordinary way of honourably mentioning Authors in quotations little differs from this.
I hope what I say in that kinde will incourage and not puff up any.
As I may through mistake insert some here, who perhaps were neither eminent for Religion nor Learning, so I hope no man will imagine that I take upon me to give so compleat an enumeration, as to omit none, that were too difficult a Province for me to undertake, if the most here be such as will agree with the running Title, I hope none will interprete it exclusively, as if these alone were such. I have cause to bless God that this Subject is profitable, as those others I have formerly laboured in, and hope, that as they have been generally well-esteemed of (for who can expect to please all?) so this likewise will be favourably entertained by those that are candid and judicious, which is the desire of
Thy Affectionate Friend EDWARD LEIGH.
The Names of such BOOKS as this AUTHOR hath Published.
1. CRitica Sacra on the Hebrew of the Old Testament, and on the Greek of the New Testament. Fol.
2. Annotations on all the New Testament. Fol.
3. A Systeme or Body of Divinity. Fol.
4. A Treatise of Divine Promises. 12o.
5. Analecta, or Observations on the twelve first Caesars. 8o.
6. The Saints Incouragement in Evil Times. 12o.
7. A Phylological Commentary, or an Illustration of the most obvious and usefull Words in the Law. 8o.
8. A Treatise of Religion and Learning. Fol.