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Show / 01 the aduancement. Of learning, faith ibd Religion, if he one, beca~Jfe they are an effetluall inducement tO the exaltauon ~f the glory of God.For as the Hfalrnes Jand other S~rtptur es doe Often inuite VS tO (onllder' and tna~~~fie the great and· wonderfull· workes of God : io If we ~1ould · rea onely in thei contemplation of the extenor of them; as they firft offe~ them{ clues to .ou~ fences ; we fhould do arike.iAiutievntothe Mateilte of God, as if wee thould iudge or conftrue of.th~ fio.re of fome excellentleweller1.bytbat onely Which IS ret out toward the 1lreete in his ilioppe. ~.f'he ·other, becaufethey tninifter a finguler helpe and .preferua~ tine againft ·vnbeleefe .and erro~ ; For.our Sauiour faith, 1; ouerre nf!t knowtng the Scrtptnres,nor the power ' ofGod: laying before vs two Bookes ·Or volun1es t0 .. ftudie, if we will be fecured from errour : firfi ·the. fcriptures, teu~aling the \Vill of God; and .then the creatur.es expref~ing his.power; whereof the later · is a-key ~nto the form.er; not ~nely openi?g our ~nde! rfianding to concetue the !true fence ot the fcrip· · tures, by the generall notions-of rea[ on and rules of fpeech; butchiefelyopening our·beleefe, in draw .. ing .vs into a due meditatio~ of tne omnipotencie of God, which is chiefely figned and ingrauen vppon his w0rkes. Thus much therefore for diuine tefiimonie and euidence, concer:ning the true dignitie, end value of learning. . , As for humane proofes, it:is {0 large a field, as in a difcot:trfe of this nature and breuitie, it is fit rather ~ y~c choiCe of thofe' things, whi~h we fhall pro .. · · . . duce, . . ·Theftrfl hoof.!. 32 ~ ·. clucelthan to etnbrace·the variety ofthem.Firll ther· fore in .the degrees of humane bG>nour amongfl die heathen,.itwas .the highefi, to obtain to a veneratioa &. .adoratiottasa God. 1 hisNnto the c ·hrifiians is as the forbidden frnic.But we fpeake now feparately:of humane tefiimonie; .according ro which,that whi cJ1: th~ Grecians call Apotheofis, and the Latines, Rt/4- ·tio inter dit#es, was the fupreameJ~onour ,whi-ch matt could attribute "Jnto man; fpecially when it was gi- . uen, not by· a formall Decree ·or Aet.ofState,as it was v(ed amongfi the' Romane Em·perours ; bt1t by. an ·i~ward affent and beleefe ; w.~ic~ :honour:being. fo hrtgh, had alfo a ·degree 'Or mtddle tearme: for there were reckoned aboue humane 'honours, ho ·noLtr ·heroycall and d.iuine ~ In'the attribution ·and diftribtition of which honours; wee lee Antk{uitic made this difference : -that whereas founders and · . . · vniters·~bf States and C·ities, La\v-giuers, ·ext:irpers ()f Tyrants, Fathers of:lhe people, and other eminent perfons :in cinile merite, were honoured but With thetitlesofWorthies·or Demy-Gods: fitch as Were H ercul~s., Th~frus., J.lfi1to.r., Romtslus,-and rhe like.: . ~<>n the·other fide, ·fi.rch as ·were Inuentors ·and Au- · thors of new Arts, endowments, and comm-odities towards mans life~ were euer ·confecrated amongfi the Gods thetnfelues)as was Ceres,Bacchres,;l:t erotritts, .dpo~~o;and .others,and iufHy:'for the merit .of the Fvrf! Ier Is confined within th_e circle of an age, or ana- ~on :· and is like fruitfull iliow;.ers, which though ~hey be profitab~e a.nd good : yet (erne but for that · I I (eaf~ J . - ..• ~{ ·,, ,.. ".......:: |