CHAP. CVII.
Peace.One and the last branch, dear Truth, remains concerning schools.
“The churches,” say they, “much depend upon the schools, and the schools upon the magistrates.”
Universities of Europe a cause of universal sins and plagues; yet schools honourable for tongues and arts.
Truth.I honour schools for tongues and arts; but the institution of Europe’s universities, devoting persons (as is said) for scholars in a monastical way, forbidding marriage,and labour too, I hold as far from the mind of Jesus Christ as it is from propagating his name and worship.
We count the universities the fountains, the seminaries, or seed-plots of all piety; but have not those fountains ever sent what streams the times have liked? and ever changed their taste and colour to the prince’s eye and palate?
For any depending of the church of Christ upon such schools, I find not a tittle in the Testament of Christ Jesus.
Christ’s church his school, and all believers scholars.
I find the church of Christ frequently compared to a school. All believers are his disciples or scholars, yea, women also, Acts ix. 36,There was a certain disciple, or scholar,called Dorcas.
Have not the universities sacrilegiously stolen this blessed name of Christ’s scholars from his people? Is not the very scripture language itself become absurd, to wit, to call God’s people, especially women, as Dorcas, scholars?
Peace.Some will object, how shall the scriptures be brought to light from out of popish darkness, except these schools of prophets convey them to us?
Truth.I know no schools of prophets in the New Testament, but the particular congregation of Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. xiv. And I question whether any thing but sin stopped and dried up the current of the Spirit in those rare gifts of tongues to God’s sons and daughters, serving so admirably both for the understanding of the original scriptures, and also for the propagating of the name of Christ.
Who knows but God may again pour forth the gifts of tongues?
Who knows but that it may please the Lord again to clothe his people with a spirit of zeal and courage for the name of Christ; yea, and pour forth those fiery streams again of tongues and prophecy in the restoration of Zion?
Tongues attainable out of Oxford or Cambridge.
If it be not his holy pleasure so to do, but that his people with daily study and labour must dig to come at the original fountains, God’s people have many ways, besides the university, lazy and monkish, to attain to an excellent measure of the knowledge of those tongues.
Mr. Ainsworth.
That most despised while living, and now much honoured Mr. Ainsworth,[217]had scarce his peer amongst a thousand academians for the scripture originals, and yet he scarce set foot within a college-walls.